Austin County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, land and probate records from early 1800’s, cemetery, court, military discharge and naturalization records; Discharge Court has divorce records

County Clerk

One East Main Bellville 77418 Phone: 979-865-5911 ext. 197 Fax: 979-865-0336

District Clerk

One East Main Bellville 77418 Phone: 979-865-5911 ext. 121

Description
The county was named for Stephen F. Austin, who facilitated the Anglo-American colonization of Texas and is known as the "Father of Texas". The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

History

 * Austin County History
 * Pioneers of Austin County~Austin County TXGenWeb

Parent County
1836--Austin County was created 17 March 1836 from Old Mexican Municipality.
 * County seat: Bellville

The county was named for Stephen F. Austin, founder of the Anglo-American colony that eventually became Texas

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Austin County border changes.

Record Loss
1960--The Austin County Courthouse, built in 1888, was destroyed by fire on April 5, 1960. Courthouse records were saved.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Neighboring Counties
Colorado •  Fayette  •  Fort Bend  •  Waller  •  Washington  •  Wharton

African American

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

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Additional Cemetery Sources


 * Austin County Cemetery Index of Names ~ Austin County TXGenWeb
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Church

 * Austin County, Texas Churches ~Austin County, TXGenWeb
 * [ http://txgenwebcounties.org/austin/EarlyChurch/earlychurchrecords.htm Early Church Records of Austin County]~partial record listing.
 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Lutheran

 * Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, New Ulm, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906 - 1989  — index and images

Local Histories

 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Austin County History

Maps

 * Texas Land Survey Maps for (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 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

 * 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
 * Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers


Off-line Newspaper Information Online Newspapers


 * Sealy News, serving Sealy and Austin County.
 * Daily Texan


 * Online Newspaper Abstracts
 * Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

Obituaries

 * 1966 - 1978 Pete E Etlinger Funeral Home of Bellville Notices 1966 - 1978 ~Complete Index~Austin County, TXGenWeb
 * Obituaries of Austin County, Texas Partial listing of obituaries published in Austin County, Texas~Austin County, TXGenWeb
 * 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
Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records
 * 1840 - 1981 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1935 at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records,br.


 * 1802 - 2010 - Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1824 - 1920 Early Marriages of Austin County, Texas 1824-1920 ~Complete Index~Austin County, TXGenWeb
 * 1837 - 1965 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837 - 1973 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1921 - 1974 Austin County Marriages 1921-1974 ~ Complete Index ~ Austin County, TXGenWeb
 * 1966 - 2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005  -  Hidden Ancestors
 * 1966 - 2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010  -  FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890 - 1976 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..
 * 1903 - 1973 Texas Death and Burials 1903 - 1973 (index) -  FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1903 - 2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1964 - 1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977 - 1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968 - 2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005   ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * 1850 - 1930 USGenWeb Census Project ~ Texas 1850 - 1930
 * 1968 - 2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
The Bellville Historical Society Concordia Hall, 953 S. Tesch Street PO Box 67 Bellville, Texas 77418 E-mail address:[mailto:BellvilleHistoricalSociety.com BellvilleHistoricalSociety.com] Website

Austin Genealogical Society PO Box 1507 Austin 78767-1507 Website

Austin Genealogical Society PO Box 10010 Austin 78766-1010 Website

Bellville Public Library 12 W Palm St Bellville, TX 77418 Telephone Number: 979-865-3731 Website

Virgil and Josephine Gordon Memorial Library 917 N Circle Dr Sealy, TX 77474 Telephone Number: 979-885-7469 http://www.vjgordonmemoriallibrary.org/ Website]

Austin County Library System 6730 Railroad St Wallis, TX 77485 Telephone Number: 979-478-6813 Website

Family History Centers

 * Austin Texas Family History Center

1000 E Rutherford Ln Austin, Travis, Texas, United States Phone: 512-837-3626 Hours: M,T,Th &amp; Sat 10am-1pm; W 9am-3pm, &amp; 6pm-8:30pm Closed: all major holidays


 * Austin Texas Oak Hills Family History Center

5201 Convict Hill Rd Austin, Travis, Texas, United States Phone: 512-892-6483 Hours: Tues, Wed, Sat,10am-2pm; Wed. 6pm-9pm Closed: Closed July 4th Weekend, Thanksgiving Week, Christmas Holidays - December 20 through January 1, 2011

Websites

 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Austin TXGenWeb. May have name indexes, history or other county information.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project. Name indexes and other information.
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * Cyndi's List ~ Texas