Bell County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Bell County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for Peter Hansborough Bell, the third governor of Texas. The county is located in the central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Bell County Courthouse
1201 Huey Rd
Belton, TX 76513
Phone: 254-933-5197
Bell County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, probate and land records from 1850, military records and school census.
Clerk District Court has divorce records from 1850, court and naturalization records.[2]
Bell County, Texas Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1850 | 1903 | 1852 | 1850 | 1850 | 1829 |
Record Loss
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Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
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‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 4,799 | — |
| 1870 | 9,771 | 103.6% |
| 1880 | 20,518 | 110.0% |
| 1890 | 33,377 | 62.7% |
| 1900 | 45,535 | 36.4% |
| 1910 | 49,186 | 8.0% |
| 1920 | 46,412 | −5.6% |
| 1930 | 50,030 | 7.8% |
| 1940 | 44,863 | −10.3% |
| 1950 | 73,824 | 64.6% |
| 1960 | 94,097 | 27.5% |
| 1970 | 124,483 | 32.3% |
| 1980 | 157,889 | 26.8% |
| 1990 | 191,088 | 21.0% |
| 2000 | 237,974 | 24.5% |
| 2010 | 310,235 | 30.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1860 Bell County Census - USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1870 Bell County Census - USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1880 Bell County Census - USGenWeb Archives Project
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans
- 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- Texas African American Griots at USGenWeb
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Bell County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
- Bell County Bibliography - TXGenWeb
- Bell County Photographs - TXGenWeb
- Surnames - TXGenWeb
- Historical Timeline - Wikipedia
- Texas Indexes (about 20 counties) at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Texas Land Survey Maps for Bell County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- Bell County Maps
- Hometown Locator map
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- Military in Bell County - USGenWeb Archives Project
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry — index ($)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Bell County Rangers and Confederate Vet Muster List - USGenWeb Archives Project
- Confederate Pension Applications - USGenWeb Archives Project
- Confederate Indigent Families - USGenWeb Archives Project
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1906-1989 Texas Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Off-line Newspaper Information
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."
- See Texas Probate Records for more information.
- 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800-1990 Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
- See Texas Taxation for more information.
- 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast — index & images ($)
Vital Records
Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.
Birth
- 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1890-1976 Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1903-2000 Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Divorce
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Georgetown Texas FamilySearch Center
- Killeen Texas FamilySearch Center
- Central Library - an affiliate library
- East Waco Library - an affiliate library
- Georgetown Public Library - an affiliate library
- South Waco Library - an affiliate library
- Temple Public Library - an affiliate library
- Waco-McLennan County Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
County Genealogical Society
c/o P.O. Box 1493
100 West Adams Avenue
Temple, TX 76501
Email: txbcgs@gmail.com
Bell Website
Lena Armstrong Public Library
(City of Belton)
301 E. 1st Avenue
Belton, TX 76513
Phone: 254-933-5830
Fax: 254-933-5831
Email: kkroll@ci.belton.tx.us
Lena Website
Harker-Heights Public Library
400 Indian Trail
Harker Heights, TX 76548
Phone: 254-953-5491
Harker Website
Killeen Public Library
205 E. Church Ave
Killeen, TX 76541
Phone: 254-501-8990
Killeen Website
Temple Public Library
100 West Adams Ave
Temple, TX 76501
Phone: 254-298-5556
Temple Website
Temple College
Hubert M. Dawson Library
2600 South First St
Temple, TX 76504
Phone: 254-298-8426
Email: library@templejc.edu
Temple Website
University of Mary-Hardin Baylor
Townsend Memorial Library
900 College Street
Belton, TX 76513
Phone: 254-295-4637
Email: library@umhb.edu
University Website
Museums
Societies
County Historical Commission
Bell County Historic Courthouse
101 E. Central Avenue
First Floor, Room 117
Belton, TX 76513
Phone: 254-933-5917
Email: HistoricalCommission@bellcounty.texas.gov
Website
Texas Genealogical Society
West Waco Library and Genealogy Center
5301 Bosque Blvd., Suite 275
Waco, TX 76710
Email:webmaster@ctgs.org
Website
Salado Historical Society
PO Box 251
Salado, TX 76571
Website
Texas Sons of the American Revolution
Website
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Website
Websites
- Bell County TXGenWeb, a member of TXGenWeb
- Bell USGenWeb Archives Project
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bell County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_County,_Texas. accessed 07/25/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Bell County, Texas. Page 659 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Bell County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 655-665.
- ↑ GenDisasters.com Belton, TX Courthouse Fire, Mar 1891 http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/7346/belton-tx-courthouse-fire-mar-1891
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bell County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_County,_Texas, accessed 26 March 2019.