Various Ways To Search For Texas Death Records

By Claire Dowell


Searching for Texas death records has its various uses. It can be used for reference in creating a genealogy tree. Some may use the record to make a claim on inheritance. It can also be used to prove the status of a certain individual as widow or widower.

If you're looking for documents of infants who died, you will be presented with documents that contain "Inf of" instead of the first name of the baby. This signifies that the infant died before he or she was given a name and it means "infant of". Some records may also list wives under the name of their husband.

The records are kept in the Texas department state of health services. They are kept in a special manner. For deaths prior to 1903, you will find them in the county clerk instead. For certificates 1904 to 1940, you will find one big index for those years. The same goes for the years 1941 to 1945 and 1946 to 1955. The vital records department of Texas started a yearly index after 1956. Death certificates are usually kept at the place of death and not at the place of birth.

Getting the death certificate of an individual can be difficult. If the person who died was born 75 years ago the record considered a protected document. The same is true for a record of a death that occurred in the past 25 years. To get the protected papers there are certain conditions that need to be met. You can only get obtain the record if it belongs to an immediate family members. Also, if you live outside Texas, you have to be the surviving spouse or parent of the deceased. There are exemptions though. The funeral director of the funeral home found on the document may request said document.

To obtain a certificate of death, proper identification is required. You will need to provide a valid government issued ID card or a state issued driver's license. A form found in the website of the vital records department will need to be completed. You will have to provide the names of the parents of the deceased. The form may also require the maiden name of the mother of the deceased. Finish the form with the reason why you need the document and how you are related to the deceased. Mail the form along with a check or money order worth $20 to the bureau of vital statistics. Getting the documents via mail will take about three to four weeks.

There is a faster way to obtain the documents. The Texas government has an online service that allows you to make the request online and pay via credit card. You'll be able to get a notification of the death notices online within 10 to 15 days. For faster service, you can find online websites that offer rush service with certified papers for a small fee and delivery within four to seven days upon request.




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