Blanco County Death Index

Blanco County death records are held at the County Clerk's office in Johnson City, Texas. The Blanco County death index covers records from 1903 forward, and certified death certificates are available through the clerk's office in person or by mail, or through the Texas state vital records system.

Blanco County Clerk Death Records

The Blanco County Clerk in Johnson City is the local registrar for vital records including death certificates. The office is at the Blanco County Courthouse in Johnson City, Texas. Phone: 830-868-4266. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk handles death certificate requests, marriage licenses, and land and probate records.

Blanco County was created in 1858 from parts of Burnet, Comal, Gillespie, and Hays counties. A courthouse fire in 1876 destroyed some early county records, but that fire predated mandatory death registration by about 27 years. Death records under the statewide system, which began in 1903, are intact. Researchers should note that any records from before 1903 would need to come from church records, private family papers, or cemetery databases rather than the official death index.

Fees for certified death certificates in Blanco County follow state standards: $21.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID for in-person requests. If no record is found, the search fee is still owed and not refunded.

Note: Blanco County is a small Hill Country county. The clerk's office has a limited staff. Plan for possible short wait times during busy periods.

The Blanco County government website lists clerk office contact details and general information about vital records services available in Johnson City.

Check the site before visiting to confirm current hours and any service updates at the Blanco County Courthouse in Johnson City.

How to Get Blanco County Death Certificates

In-person requests at the Blanco County Courthouse are the fastest option. Bring your photo ID and payment. Staff will search the death index by name and date and print a certified copy while you wait if the record is available.

Mail requests are accepted. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS, include a copy of your photo ID, and send a check or money order payable to Blanco County Clerk to the courthouse in Johnson City, TX 78636. Processing time for mail requests depends on office volume.

Online orders through the Texas vital records portal or the Texas.gov vital records page go through DSHS in Austin. The state fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for additional copies. Online orders take 20 to 25 business days on average. This is a good option for people who cannot travel to Johnson City.

Who Can Request Blanco County Death Records

Texas restricts death records under 25 years old. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, only immediate family members or legal representatives can get a certified copy during the first 25 years. After that, the record is public. A spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent qualifies as immediate family.

All requesters need a valid government-issued photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what the clerk will accept. A driver's license, state ID, US passport, or military ID card all qualify. Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195.

Blanco County Death Index for Genealogy

Blanco County's death records from 1903 forward are available for genealogy research on Hill Country families. The county has a ranching heritage and strong ties to German and other European immigrant communities who settled the Texas Hill Country in the 1800s. For deaths that occurred 25 or more years ago, copies are available to the public without needing to prove family relationship.

Free online resources include the FamilySearch Texas Death Index 1903-2000 and the Ancestry Texas Death Index, both covering the same range. The FamilySearch Blanco County genealogy page describes the full range of local records, including marriage records from 1858 and land records from the same year. The Texas State Library and Archives holds statewide microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973, accessible in Austin.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin sets the rules that all Texas county clerks follow and maintains duplicate copies of all county death records, including those from Blanco County.

If a local record cannot be found at the Blanco County Courthouse, the DSHS office in Austin is the next place to check.

Cities in Blanco County

Johnson City is the county seat and the main population center in Blanco County. All death records for events in the county are managed by the Blanco County Clerk in Johnson City. There are no qualifying cities in Blanco County above the population threshold for a separate city page.

Other communities in Blanco County include Blanco and Hye. Death records for all of these areas go through the clerk's office in Johnson City.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Blanco County in the Texas Hill Country. If a death occurred near a county boundary, verify the county of record before placing your request.

Burnet County • Llano County • Gillespie County • Kendall County • Comal County • Hays County • Travis County