Search Tom Green County Death Records
Tom Green County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in San Angelo, Texas, with records going back to 1903. This guide explains how to find Tom Green County death certificates, request certified copies, search historical obituary records, and access state and genealogy databases covering this West Texas county and the San Angelo area.
Tom Green County Overview
Tom Green County Clerk Death Records
The Tom Green County Clerk in San Angelo serves as the local registrar for death records in the county. The office holds death certificates for deaths occurring in Tom Green County from 1903 to the present. San Angelo is the county seat and the population center, so the clerk handles a significant volume of vital records compared to smaller rural counties. The City of San Angelo Vital Statistics office may also hold records for deaths occurring within city limits at certain time periods.
You can request records in person at the courthouse or by mail. Texas law limits certified copy access to qualified applicants: immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a direct and tangible interest. Records less than 25 years old are restricted. Records 25 years old and older are public under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193.
| Office | Tom Green County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 5528, San Angelo, TX 76902 |
| Phone | (325) 659-6573 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Website | co.tom-green.tx.us |
Note: For deaths occurring within San Angelo city limits, confirm whether the city or the county holds the record by calling the clerk's office first.
How to Search Tom Green County Obituaries
The Texas Vital Statistics online ordering system is the most efficient way to look up and order Tom Green County death certificates. The system covers all Texas counties and lets you search by name, date, and county. You pay online and receive the certified copy by mail after verification. This route works for both recent and older records that appear in the state index.
For historical research, FamilySearch is a strong free resource. The FamilySearch database includes Texas death indexes and digitized county records going back to the early 1900s. Tom Green County records are included in multiple Texas collections and are searchable by name and year. The Texas State Library in Austin also holds microfilm reels with early county-level death records.
Recent obituaries from the San Angelo area are available on Legacy.com. The San Angelo Standard-Times is the main local newspaper and publishes obituary notices. Back issues of the Standard-Times are available in local libraries and through newspaper archive databases for older searches.
San Angelo residents can also find Tom Green County obituaries and death notices through the San Angelo city records page, which covers local access points for vital records in the county seat.
Requesting Tom Green County Death Certificates
To get a certified death certificate from Tom Green County, go in person to the clerk's office in San Angelo or mail a written request to P.O. Box 5528, San Angelo, TX 76902. You need to provide proof of identity and your relationship to the deceased. A government-issued photo ID is required. Non-family members must state their legal basis for accessing the record.
Texas charges $21 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $4. You can also order through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin. State orders take longer but cover all Texas counties and go through the same fee structure. In-person requests at the county clerk are often processed the same day.
Mail requests to the Tom Green County Clerk should include a completed request form, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to the Tom Green County Clerk. Include a return mailing address. Check the DSHS Vital Statistics website for the latest requirements before submitting a request.
Note: The Tom Green County Clerk handles a higher volume of vital records requests than most West Texas counties due to San Angelo's population size.
Historical Obituaries in Tom Green County Texas
Tom Green County has a documented death record history going back to 1903. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds microfilm reels covering early county vital records, including Tom Green County deaths from the formal registration period. Researchers can view these on-site in Austin or request copies through interlibrary loan. Early certificates record names, ages, causes of death, and burial locations.
The FamilySearch database covers Texas death collections extensively. Their indexed records include Tom Green County entries going back to the early 1900s, and many are linked to digitized images. Searching by name and approximate year is the most effective approach. Gaps in coverage exist for some periods, but the overall collection is strong for West Texas counties of this size.
For newspaper obituaries, the San Angelo Standard-Times has published since 1884. Its archives are a major source for historical death notices in the area. The Tom Green County Memorial Library in San Angelo may hold back issues and microfilm reels covering older newspaper obituaries. West Texas genealogical societies can also point researchers toward local records not in state databases.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics section provides death certificate ordering services for all Texas counties including Tom Green County and the San Angelo area.
The Tom Green County Clerk in San Angelo maintains death records for the county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Tom Green County Death Records
Texas requires death certificates to be filed within 10 days of the date of death under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003. The physician or medical examiner certifies the cause of death. The funeral director completes the filing. The form captures name, address, date and place of death, cause of death, and burial information.
Chapter 193 restricts access to death records less than 25 years old. Qualified applicants include the deceased's spouse, parents, children, siblings, and legal representatives. Others must show a direct and tangible interest. Once records reach 25 years, they become public and can be obtained by any person. The restriction applies equally at the county and state levels.
Delayed registrations are handled under Section 193.007 of the Health and Safety Code. Researchers who cannot locate a record should consider that a delayed filing may exist under a later date. The Texas State Library and FamilySearch both include delayed certificates in their indexes alongside standard filings.
Tom Green County Obituary Resources
The primary resources for Tom Green County death records are the Texas DSHS online ordering system and the county clerk. Use the online vital statistics portal to order certified copies from the state. The DSHS Vital Statistics page explains the ordering process, eligibility rules, and fees.
For genealogy research, FamilySearch and the Texas State Library are the key tools. FamilySearch provides free indexed searches across Texas death collections with links to digitized images. The Texas State Library holds microfilm with county-level vital records going back to 1903. San Angelo Standard-Times archives are also valuable for obituary notices from the past century.
For recent obituaries, Legacy.com is a good starting point. Death notices from San Angelo and surrounding Tom Green County communities are well-represented in regional newspaper archives. The DSHS website provides the state mailing address for written requests to the Austin office.
Note: The Tom Green County Memorial Library in San Angelo can assist researchers looking for local newspaper obituary archives and genealogical resources.
Nearby Counties
Tom Green County is surrounded by several West Texas counties. Death records for those areas are held by their respective county clerks.