Roberts County Obituary Records
Roberts County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Miami, Texas. One of the least populated counties in the Texas Panhandle, Roberts County has vital records dating from 1903.
Roberts County Overview
Roberts County Clerk Death Records
The Roberts County Clerk's office in Miami is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Roberts County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old require qualified applicant status. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Roberts County is among the smallest counties by population in Texas, consistently one of the ten least populous counties in the state. Miami (pronounced MY-am-uh by locals) is the county seat and only town. The county sits in the Canadian River breaks of the Texas Panhandle, with ranching the primary economic activity. Natural gas production adds some revenue. Because of its small population, the clerk's office handles a very low volume of vital records. The DSHS online system is the most practical option for death certificate requests given Miami's remote location.
| Office | Roberts County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 477, Miami, TX 79059 |
| Phone | (806) 868-2341 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.roberts.tx.us |
Searching Roberts County Obituaries
Order Roberts County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Roberts County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com may carry obituary notices from area Panhandle papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Roberts County death records from 1903. Online ordering is strongly recommended for this remote Panhandle county.
Requesting Roberts County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Roberts County Clerk, P.O. Box 477, Miami, TX 79059. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Roberts County Obituary Records
Roberts County death records from the early 1900s document ranching families who settled the Canadian River breaks after the cattle drives ended. The county was organized in 1889 from Bexar and Clay territories. The Canadian River canyon country was used by Comanche and Kiowa hunters for centuries before Anglo ranchers arrived. Early residents ran cattle on the open shortgrass prairie. Given the extremely small population, every death record in the county's early years represents a significant portion of the community and often the sole record of an individual's existence in public documents. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Roberts County entries.
The Roberts County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Miami.
The Roberts County Clerk in Miami maintains death certificates and vital records for this remote Texas Panhandle county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Roberts County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Roberts County.
Roberts County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (806) 868-2341, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Roberts County is located in the Texas Panhandle in the Canadian River breaks.