Hays County, Texas Genealogy

United States Texas  Counties H  Hays County

Guide to Hays County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Hays County Courthouse 137 N Guadalupe Street San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: 512.393.7330 County Clerk has probate records from 1839, birth records from 1865, marriage, court, and land records from 1848 and military records from 1919; District Clerk has divorce records from 1897

History
The first Anglo-American arrived around 1835, the first church was organized in 1847 and the first school was organized in 1849. A Spanish settlement was in the area from 1808 to 1812. Mexican land grants date as early as 1831.

Parent County
1848--Hays County was created 1 March 1848 from Travis County. County seat: San Marcos

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Neighboring Counties
Blanco • Caldwell • Comal • Guadalupe • Travis

African American

 * Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch
 * Texas African American Griots ~  USGenWeb
 * AfriGeneas ~  African Ancestored Genealogy
 * Texas African American Genealogy ~  Access Genealogy

Additional Cemetery Sources

 * Hays County Cemeteries ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Tombstone Transcription Project ~ Partial transcription of cemetery tombstones ~ USGenWeb
 * Texas Historic Cemeteries ~ Partial indexes to historic cemeteries
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Individual cemeteries


 * Wimberley Cemetery, Wimberley BillionGraves

Census

 * 1850 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1860 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1880 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Church

 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps



 * Historical Maps ~  From the Republic to the Turn of the Century  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * Confederate Pension Applications Index ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Indigent Families ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Korean War Casualties ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Military Resources~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Fallen Heroes ~  Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch
 * Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch

Newspapers

 * Home Town News -  Texas Newspaper Index with links
 * Newslink -  Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
 * The Olden Times  -   Historic Texas News Online

Obituaries

 * Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~  Texas
 * Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
 * Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
 * Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function

Probate

 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~  Ancestry.com  (subscription)
 * Texas, Probate Records, 1800-1990 (images) - FamilySearch

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)- FamilySearch

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005  -  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas County Marriage Records, 1837-1977 - FamilySearch. Index to a variety of marriage records (registers, licenses, intentions to marry, etc.) from select counties in Texas.
 * Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973  -  FamilySearch record collection
 * Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010  -  FamilySearch record collection
 * 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977 - 1986 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Divorce

 * Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005     Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries
Hays County Gen. Society P.O. Box 503 San Marcos 78666

Kyle Community Library 409 W Blanco St Kyle, TX 78640 Phone: (512) 268-7411 Website

San Marcos Public Library 625 E Hopkins St San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 393-8200 Website

Buda Public Library 303 N Main St Buda, TX 78610 Phone: (512) 295-5899 Website

Dripping Springs Community Library 501 Sportsplex Dr Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Phone: (512) 858-7825 Website

Wimberley Village Library 400 Fm 2325 Wimberley, TX 78676 Phone: (512) 847-2188 Website

Family History Centers

 * San Marcos Texas Family History Center


 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Web Sites

 * Hays County Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Hays County ~ TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.