Search Coleman County Death Index

Coleman County death index records are maintained by the County Clerk in Coleman, Texas, covering deaths registered in the county from 1903 to the present. The county seat and the county share the same name, which keeps things simple when you contact the office. Coleman County is a central Texas county with a ranching and agricultural background, and its death records reflect the families who lived and worked here over more than a century.

Coleman County Clerk Vital Records

The Coleman County Clerk is located in Coleman, Texas. Phone: 325-625-2153. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk is the local registrar for all births and deaths in Coleman County and has maintained death records since 1903. Birth records, marriage records, land records, and probate files are also held at the same office. The fee for a certified death certificate is $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time.

Coleman County was created in 1858 from Brown and Travis counties and organized in 1864. It was named for Robert M. Coleman, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The county sits in central Texas with an economy rooted in ranching and agriculture. No courthouse disasters are on record for Coleman County, which means the death index is complete from 1903.

All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. Records from the last 25 years are restricted to qualified applicants. After 25 years, records become public. The clerk accepts checks and money orders by mail. Cash is accepted in person. No cash through the mail.

The Coleman County government website provides contact details for the county clerk and links to county offices and services.

The Coleman County Clerk in Coleman is the primary office for certified death certificate requests for events registered anywhere in the county.

How to Get a Coleman County Death Certificate

In person is the fastest method. Visit the Coleman County Courthouse in Coleman with valid photo ID and $21. The clerk can search the death index and issue a certified copy the same day if the record is available. Office hours run until 5:00 PM on weekdays.

For mail requests, send a written application that includes the full name of the deceased, approximate date and place of death in Coleman County, your relationship to the deceased, your mailing address, and the purpose of the request. Attach a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Include a check or money order for $21 payable to the Coleman County Clerk, plus $4 for each additional copy you need. Do not send cash through the mail.

State-level orders are available through the Texas vital records online portal or by mailing a completed 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. Mail orders through DSHS take 25-30 business days. The county clerk is faster for Coleman County records.

Coleman County Death Record Access

Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, death records from the last 25 years are restricted to qualified applicants. 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 on the record. Legal guardians and authorized representatives with proper documents also qualify.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public. Anyone can then request it with valid ID and the fee. Government agencies and law enforcement with a direct and tangible interest in the record may also access restricted records. All requesters must present valid government-issued photo ID accepted under the DSHS acceptable ID requirements.

Note: Fees are non-refundable if a search is conducted and no record is found. This rule applies at both county and state offices.

Coleman County Death Index for Genealogy

For family history research, Coleman County death records begin in 1903 and are intact through the present. Online index databases are a good starting point. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers Coleman County from 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same range and includes certificate numbers, which help you identify the exact record you need before contacting the clerk.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds statewide death index microfilm from 1903 to 1973. These are available for public research. The statewide index is organized alphabetically within multi-year blocks from 1903 to 1955, then annually from 1956 to 1973. Knowing the approximate year of death helps you find the right section faster.

Coleman County neighbors Brown County and Runnels County, and families in this part of central Texas often had ties across county lines. If you do not find a record in Coleman County, check the neighboring clerks. Death certificates usually list the county of death, which helps confirm the right office to contact.

Cities in Coleman County

Coleman is both the county name and county seat. All death records for events throughout Coleman County are held at the county clerk's office in the city of Coleman. No cities in Coleman County exceed the qualifying population threshold for a separate city page.

Other communities in Coleman County include Santa Anna and Valera. All Coleman County death records are maintained at the clerk's office in Coleman.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Coleman County in central Texas. If you are searching for a record in this region and are unsure of the county, the community or address on the death certificate usually confirms the right clerk to contact.

Brown County • McCulloch County • San Saba County • Mills County • Runnels County