Search New Braunfels Death Records
New Braunfels obituary and death records are maintained by the Comal County Clerk in New Braunfels, Texas. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to trace a family member who died in the New Braunfels area, this page covers where to go, what to bring, how to request records by mail or online, and how to find historical obituaries going back to 1903.
New Braunfels Overview
Where to Find New Braunfels Obituary Records
New Braunfels is the Comal County seat, so the county clerk's office is located in the city. All death records for events in New Braunfels are filed with Comal County. There is no separate city vital records office in New Braunfels. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests for certified death certificates. Canyon Lake and other communities in the county also use this same clerk's office. A small portion of New Braunfels extends into Guadalupe County; those deaths would be filed with the Guadalupe County Clerk in Seguin. Staff can assist you through the application process when you visit or call.
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, death records less than 25 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. Records 25 years or older are open to the public. Qualified applicants include the spouse, child, parent, or sibling of the deceased, legal representatives acting on behalf of the estate, and individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. If you don't qualify for a restricted record, genealogical databases like FamilySearch offer free access to older records.
| Office | Comal County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 150 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130 |
| Phone | (830) 221-1230 |
| County Page | Comal County Death Records |
Note: New Braunfels is the Comal County seat. The county clerk is in the city and handles most death records for the area. Check Guadalupe County for addresses in the southern portion of the city.
Searching New Braunfels Death Records Online
The Texas DSHS online portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov handles certified death certificate orders for New Braunfels and all of Texas. You need the full name of the deceased and the approximate year of death. Payment is by credit card, and orders are mailed within a few business days. This is a convenient option if you can't visit the courthouse in person.
FamilySearch at familysearch.org has free indexed Texas death records. The Texas death index covers Comal County records and includes New Braunfels deaths from the statewide registration period starting in 1903. New Braunfels was settled by German immigrants in 1845, making it one of the oldest cities in Texas, and the death records reflect this long history. Many entries include images of the original certificates, which can show cause of death, birthplace, and other details not visible in a basic index. FamilySearch is useful for genealogy research on older records.
Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung and San Antonio-area papers. Search by name to find obituary postings with service dates, surviving family, and funeral home contact information.
How to Request New Braunfels Death Certificates
Mail requests to: Comal County Clerk, 150 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Include a completed application form, a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 (first copy). Additional copies of the same record are $4 each. You can also order online through the Texas DSHS portal or visit the New Braunfels courthouse in person.
State-level requests go through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section at dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are posted at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx. State processing takes longer than a direct county request but covers all Texas counties. For estate purposes, order multiple certified copies at once since additional copies cost only $4 each at time of order.
Historical New Braunfels Obituaries
New Braunfels was founded in 1845 by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels as a settlement for German immigrants. It is one of the oldest planned cities in Texas. Comal County was organized in 1846. Death records from the statewide registration period (1903 onward) are held at the Comal County Clerk's office. For the 1845-1903 period, German church records and cemetery registers are important sources. FamilySearch has digitized portions of the Texas death index for Comal County covering the New Braunfels area.
The Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov holds historical records for New Braunfels. German church registers, particularly from Lutheran and Catholic congregations, are held at local archives and can document deaths going back to the earliest settlement years. The Sophienburg Museum and Archives in New Braunfels is a particularly valuable resource for this area, holding records and genealogical materials related to the original German immigrant settlers and their descendants.
The Comal County Clerk's office in New Braunfels handles death certificate requests and vital records for the county.
The Comal County Clerk in New Braunfels maintains death certificates and vital records for this Hill Country county from 1903 forward.
New Braunfels Obituary Resources
Contact the Comal County Clerk at (830) 221-1230 for death certificate requests and records questions. Order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, or search historical records at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Recent obituaries from the New Braunfels area appear on Legacy.com, where you can search by name and date range. For full county contact details, hours, and additional guidance, see the Comal County death records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death records available through their county clerk offices.