Alternative Ways To Do Death Records Search

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.

Death certificates contain various data. Usually they contain the name, place, cause of death of a person. However, some papers have special information. For infants that died before they could be named, you will find the statement "Inf of" instead of the first name which means "infant of". Some documents have the wife listed under the husband's name instead of their real names. Knowing this information beforehand will help you if you need additional documents to validate the death certificate.

Currently, the Texas department of state health services keeps the certificates of deaths in Texas. However, if you're looking for information prior to 1956, you will find that the index are grouped in certain years. For deaths from 1904 to 1940 there is only one index. The same goes for 1941 to 1945 and 1946 to 1955. Documents after 1956 now had one index per year. For deaths before 1903, you will have more luck finding the record in the county clerk's office. Just be sure to look for the record on the county where the death occurred. Not the birthplace of the dead person.

Certificates for deaths that occurred in the past 25 years or those who were born the past 75 years are considered as protected documents. Only those who are immediate relatives of the deceased can make the request. If a request is made outside of the state of Texas, the person requesting said document must be the living spouse or parent of the deceased. Certain people can request the documents even if they are not related. The funeral director of the funeral home that housed or took care of the corpse can request the document for record keeping purposes.

To make a request, proper identification is needed. Identification such as a government issued ID or state-issued driver's license will suffice. Just log on the website of the vital records department of Texas and fill out the application form. You will need to input the names of the parents of the deceased person. The maiden name of the mother may also be needed. You will also have to state the reason why you need the document and how you are related to the deceased person. One request will cost about $20 and you can pay via check or money order along with the application form to the bureau of vital statistics. The mail order service will take some time, approximately three weeks at most.

If you can't wait then you can opt to request the death notices online. The website of the Texas government has an online service that allows you to request forms online and pay via credit card which can be more convenient than checks and money orders. You'll get a reply within 10 to 15 days. If you want to get the records as soon as possible, some online websites offer rush service for a small fee. You will be assured that the record is certified and delivered within four to seven days upon request.




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