Upton County Obituary Records
Upton County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Rankin, Texas. Located in the Permian Basin of West Texas, Upton County has vital records dating from 1903.
Upton County Overview
Upton County Clerk Death Records
The Upton County Clerk's office in Rankin is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Upton 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.
Upton County lies in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Rankin is the county seat, and McCamey is the other town of note. Oil and gas production has dominated the county's economy since the 1920s when oil was discovered in abundance across the Permian Basin. Wind energy has also grown significantly in recent decades, taking advantage of the flat, open terrain and persistent winds. The county is sparsely populated. The DSHS online system is the practical option for death certificate requests given the county's remote location.
| Office | Upton County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 465, Rankin, TX 79778 |
| Phone | (432) 693-2861 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Searching Upton County Obituaries
Order Upton County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Upton 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 West Texas papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Upton County death records from 1903. Online ordering is recommended for this remote Permian Basin county.
Requesting Upton County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Upton County Clerk, P.O. Box 465, Rankin, TX 79778. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Upton County Obituary Records
Upton County death records from the early 1900s document the ranching families and early settlers who came to the flat Permian Basin plains. The county was organized in 1910, relatively late for a Texas county, reflecting how slowly settlement came to this remote area. Before oil was found in the 1920s, ranching was the only economic activity. The oil boom brought roughnecks, drillers, and a support workforce from across the country. Death records from the boom years include workers from many states who came seeking wages in the oil patch. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Upton County entries.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains the statewide death record index that includes Upton County entries from 1903 to the present.
The Upton County Clerk in Rankin maintains death certificates and vital records for this Permian Basin county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Upton 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 Upton County.
Upton County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (432) 693-2861, 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
Upton County is located in the Permian Basin of West Texas.