Looking for Texas marriage records can be difficult. You may have to search among seven million records that have taken place in Texas just from the years 1966 to 2008. The records contain information of the marriage such as the names of the spouses, when the marriage took place and where it happened. You’ll also find on the same page the marriage license with one portion done by the officiator of the marriage.
The record is used for various purposes. It is very useful in tracing back your family or when you are making a genealogical tree. As long as it is recorded, you will be able to find your ancestors. The document is also used in legal proceedings such as determining the legitimacy of a child or during divorce proceedings. For women, they can use it to finally change their name and adopt their husband’s name. It is also used to help change other documents that will be affected by the name change such as driver’s licenses, professional licenses and other identification.
The search for records among millions of records in Texas can be daunting. Especially if you just registered your record and want a copy for yourself. To make things easier, you could go to your local Texas County Clerk. You’ll be able to obtain a certified copy of the record that way. You can find information of the nearest County Clerk online or even find addresses and phone numbers via phonebooks.
For records of older marriages or records of other people like your parents, grandparents and other relatives you can view the website of the Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics. The service is free however it can be difficult to perform an online search. The records you obtain online from the department are only for reference as it can’t be used for legal purposes. If you need to have them certified, you have to approach your local county clerk again. Fees may differ for each county.
The information you get from the website of the department is not specific. There’s no search function to pinpoint a specific date, place and persons marriage. What happens is that you have to download the marriage applications for the whole year. Each download file can have at least one hundred thousand records to as many as two hundred thousand. Once you finish downloading the file, you can then search manually for the record you are interested in.
A better way is to use other websites that specialize in obtaining a specific marriage license. These are websites that offer the service for a small sum. You have options such as a 7 day trial or whole year fee. They have up to date online database that will allow you to search for a specific record using only the first and last name. Advanced searches are also available such as specific date and place. There are also websites that offer to get certified records for you and mail them so you won’t have to visit your County Clerk. If you need a certified record from the vital records department, you can download the form from their website. Fill the application and attach your payment. The fee is $20 and can be sent with your form as cash, money order, check or even credit card.
Government or private record providers for Free Public Marriage Records? Make the right choice to suit your particular needs. You can learn all about them by visiting our site at Public Marriage Records.