Find Death Records in Cochran County

Cochran County death index records are held by the County Clerk in Morton, Texas, with records starting in 1926 when the county was formally organized. Unlike most Texas counties, Cochran County did not begin keeping records in 1903 because it was not organized as a functioning county government until 1926. If you are searching the Cochran County death index, records run from 1926 to the present, and the clerk handles requests in person and by mail.

Cochran County Clerk Death Records Office

The Cochran County Clerk is in Morton, Texas. Phone: 806-266-5450. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Cochran County death records begin in 1926, which is when the county was organized. The county was created by the Texas Legislature in 1876 from Bexar County land, but it sat as unorganized territory until 1926 when enough residents were present to set up a county government. All births, deaths, and other vital events registered in Cochran County since 1926 are held at the county clerk's office in Morton.

Cochran County is a west Texas county with a cotton farming economy. It is named for Robert E. Cochran, a defender of the Alamo. The county is small in population but has a complete set of vital records from its 1926 organization date. No courthouse disasters are on record, which means all records from that start date are intact and available through the clerk's office.

Certified death certificates cost $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. The clerk accepts checks and money orders for mail requests. All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. Records from the last 25 years require the requester to be a qualified applicant. Older records are open to the public.

The Cochran County government website provides contact information for the county clerk's office in Morton and links to county services.

The Cochran County Clerk in Morton handles all death certificate requests for events registered in the county from 1926 forward.

How to Get a Cochran County Death Certificate

In person is the fastest option. Go to the Cochran County Courthouse in Morton with valid photo ID and $21. The clerk can search the index and issue a certified copy the same day if the record is available. Office hours end at 4:00 PM, so plan to arrive early.

Mail requests are also accepted. Write a request with the full name of the deceased, approximate date and place of death, your relationship to the person, your mailing address, and the purpose of the request. Attach a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Send a check or money order for $21 payable to the Cochran County Clerk. Add $4 per additional copy. Do not send cash through the mail.

If you prefer the state route, order through the Texas vital records online portal or mail a VS-142 form to Texas DSHS, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. State fees are $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional. State orders take 25-30 business days by mail. For records starting in 1926, note that the state also does not hold records before that date for this county since Cochran County did not register events before then.

Who Can Access Cochran County Death Records

Texas law under Texas Government Code Section 552.115 restricts death records from the last 25 years to qualified applicants only. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member by blood, marriage, or adoption. That includes a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or adult child of the person named on the record. A legal guardian or authorized representative with proper documentation also qualifies.

Records older than 25 years are public information. Anyone can request them with valid ID and the fee. Government agencies and law enforcement with a direct and tangible interest in the record can access restricted records regardless of the 25-year window. All requesters must present government-issued photo ID. Acceptable forms are listed on the DSHS acceptable ID page.

Making a false statement on a vital records application is a felony in Texas with penalties of 2-10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000 under Health and Safety Code Chapter 195.

Cochran County Death Records for Research

Researchers should note that Cochran County records start in 1926, not 1903. If you are looking for deaths before 1926 in this part of west Texas, those events would not have been formally registered since the county government did not yet exist. Deaths before 1926 in what is now Cochran County may appear in state or adjacent county records depending on how they were handled at the time, but the Cochran County Clerk does not hold pre-1926 records.

For records from 1926 onward, online index tools can help. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and includes Cochran County from its 1926 start. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same range with certificate numbers. Both are index-only tools; you still need to contact the clerk for a certified copy.

The Texas State Library and Archives holds statewide death index microfilm from 1903 to 1973. For Cochran County, the relevant range in those microfilms starts from 1926. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide explains how the statewide index is structured and how county records relate to the state index.

Cities in Cochran County

Morton is the county seat of Cochran County. All death records for events in Cochran County from 1926 forward are held at the county clerk's office in Morton. No cities in Cochran County meet the qualifying population threshold for a separate city page.

Morton and Whiteface are the main communities in Cochran County. All death records for the county are kept at the county clerk's office in Morton.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Cochran County in west Texas. If you are searching for a death record and are unsure of the county, check the community or address listed on the record itself.

Hockley County • Lubbock County • Yoakum County • Lamb County