Brown County Death Index Search

The Brown County Death Index includes death records filed with the County Clerk in Brownwood, Texas, the seat of this central Texas county. Records go back to 1903, and the county clerk handles certified copies of death certificates for events that occurred in Brown County. Both local and state-level ordering options are available for those searching the Brown County death index.

Brown County Clerk and Death Index

The Brown County Clerk in Brownwood is the local authority for death records in the county. The office phone is 325-643-2594. Office hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. The clerk handles all vital records including death certificates, birth records, and marriage licenses. Online ordering is available, which is helpful for those who cannot visit in person.

Brown County has a history worth noting for records researchers. Two courthouse fires, one in 1880 and one in 1894, destroyed some early county records. Records from before those fires may be incomplete or missing. Death records in the modern statewide system begin in 1903, after the second fire. Records from that point onward should be largely intact and available through the county clerk or through the state DSHS system.

The first certified copy of a death certificate costs $21.00. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost $4.00 each. This fee schedule is set by state law. You must present valid government-issued photo ID to obtain a certified copy during the 25-year confidential period. If a search is run and no record is found, the search fee is still charged and not refunded.

The Brown County website at browncountytx.org provides county services information including the County Clerk and vital records access in Brownwood.

The Brown County Clerk office in Brownwood handles certified death certificate requests for events registered in the county from 1903 onward.

How to Search Brown County Death Records

In person is the most direct way to get a record. Visit the Brown County Clerk in Brownwood during business hours with a valid ID and the fee. The clerk will search the records by name and date of death. Certified copies are typically issued the same day if the record is on file.

For mail requests, use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application. Send the completed form along with a copy of your ID and a check or money order made out to the Brown County Clerk. Mail it to the clerk's office in Brownwood. Allow time for postal delivery and processing. Most requests are handled within a few business days after the clerk receives them.

The county also offers online ordering. This allows you to request certified copies without visiting in person. The statewide system at txapps.texas.gov connects to the DSHS office in Austin. State fees are $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for additional copies ordered together. State orders are mailed and take 20 to 25 business days on average. For faster results, the local county option is generally the better choice.

Who Can Access Brown County Death Records

Texas law under Texas Government Code Section 552.115 makes death records confidential for 25 years from the date of death. Only immediate family members can request certified copies during that window. That includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with proper documentation can also request records.

Records that are 25 or more years old are public information. Anyone can request a copy after that point. All requesters must still show valid photo ID at the time of request. The DSHS acceptable ID page lists what forms of identification the clerk will accept. Providing false information to obtain a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, with potential prison time and significant fines.

Brown County Historical Death Records

For family history research, the free FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and includes Brown County entries. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range with over 7 million statewide entries. Both are index-only databases that give you a certificate number you can use to request the full record from the county clerk.

Because Brown County lost records in courthouse fires in 1880 and 1894, earlier genealogical research may hit gaps. Post-1903 records are part of the statewide system and should be available. The Texas State Library and Archives holds statewide death indexes from 1903 to 1973 and is a solid backup resource if the county cannot locate a specific record. The Library of Congress also maintains a Texas vital records research guide that walks through how the index system works for researchers.

Note: The two courthouse fires are important context. If you are researching pre-1903 Brown County records, the fire losses may explain missing data, and secondary sources like probate records or land records may help fill gaps.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists Brown County and all other Texas counties where you can get certified death certificates directly from the local clerk's office.

The Brown County Clerk in Brownwood is one of the local offices listed by DSHS where residents can get certified copies of death certificates without ordering through Austin.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Brown County in central Texas. If you are unsure which county a death was registered in, these are nearby options to check.

Comanche County • Mills County • San Saba County • McCulloch County • Coleman County • Eastland County