The Galveston and Texas History Center serves as a crucial resource for genealogy researchers, with resources such as early birth and death records, immigration records, census records, and church records. Rosenberg Library also provides access to databases such as Ancestry and Newspaper Archive to aid in one's research into his or her family history.
The First Census of Texas, 1829-36; to which are added Texas Citizenship lists, 1821-1845 and other early records of the Republic of Texas. Mullins, Marian Day, ed.
F 385 .F37 1959. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Republic of Texas Poll Lists for 1846. Mullins, Marian Day, ed.
F 385 .M84. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
1840 Census of the Republic of Texas. White, Gifford, ed.
F 390 .W59. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Federal Population Schedules: U.S. Census (Texas only) 1850. Indexed; Publications for counties Bexar, Brazoria, Fayette, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, and Hunt.
GTHC Reading Room
U.S. Federal Census Records (United States) 1790 – 1940. Online search accessed from the library’s website www.rosenberg-library.org → e-Library → All Online Databases → History, Genealogy, & Anthropology → HeritageQuest Online. Then select Begin Searching.
Ancestry.com (Library Edition) Accessed by library’s website (in-library only) www.rosenberg-library.org → e-Library → All Online Databases → History, Genealogy, & Anthropology → Ancestry Library Edition Then select Begin Searching.
FamilySearch.org. Rosenberg Library is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library. Login to your account at www.FamilySearch.org onsite at the library to gain access to restricted digital records and images not accessible from home.
*We recommend visiting the Clayton Genealogical Library in Houston to access census indexes. Their website is https://houstonlibrary.org/research/special-collections/clayton-library-center-genealogical-research
Galveston County Tax Assessor’s Abstracts: 1880-1914. Original ledger books divided by Galveston city lots and out lots.
GTHC Manuscript Collection.
Galveston County Tax Rolls: 1838-1921. Arranged chronologically then alphabetically.
MS83-0013. GTHC Microfilm Cabinet.
Early Texas Birth Records, 1838-78. Gracy, Sumner, and Gentry.
F 385 .G72. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf.
1903 – present. Contact Galveston County Health District, Department of Vital Statistics.
Note:
Record of Interments of the City of Galveston, 1859 – 1872. Transcription.
F 394.25 .G2 R4 v.1. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf.
Record of Interments of the City of Galveston, May 1878 – Nov 1882. Transcription.
F 394.25 .G2 R4 v.2. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf.
Record of Interments of the City of Galveston, 1866 – 1881.
MS83-0021. GTHC Microfilm Cabinet.
Mortuary Records, City of Galveston, 1875 – 1926.
MS98-0006. GTHC Microfilm Cabinet
Book 1: Jan. 01, 1875 – Dec. 31, 1886
Book 2: Jan. 01, 1887 – Aug. 09, 1894
Book 3: Aug. 10, 1894 – Mar. 30, 1900
Book 4: Mar. 30, 1900 – Dec. 31, 1903
Book 5: Jan. 01, 1904 – Jan. 31, 1910
Book 6: Feb. 01, 1910 – May 31, 1918
Book 7: Jun. 01, 1918 – Dec. 31, 1926
Death Certificates, City of Galveston, ca. 1880 - 1910. Alphabetized by last name.
MS86-0005. GTHC Microfilm Cabinet. [copy at Clayton Genealogical Library]
Early Texas Death and Legal Records From Joseph Franklin’s Diary and John Griffin’s Sexton Records. Joseph Franklin’s Diary Parts 1 and 2 (1838-1908), and Galveston City Sexton Part 3 (1847-1851). Galveston County Genealogical Society.
F 394. G2E E2 1990. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf.
1927 – current. Contact Galveston County Health District, Department of Vital Statistics.
Cemetery and Marriage Records Notebook for Galveston, 1838-1941.
MS85-0025. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize)
Galveston County Texas Marriage Records, Book A: 1838 – 1850. Crabtree, Oradel (compiler).
F 392 .G25 G17 1985. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
1838 – current. Contact Galveston County Clerk’s Office.
Galveston Yearbooks. Search the catalog for any Galveston school to see holdings. Holdings include Ball High School (from 1894), Central High School (from 1946), Kirwin High School, Ursuline Academy, and many others. Holdings are incomplete; please check for a particular year.
Galveston County Scholastic Census Records, 1900–1912. Includes all children enrolled in Galveston School District. Separated by City, County, and Race. Arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by last name.
MS78-0018. GTHC Manuscript Collection/Microfilm Cabinet
Galveston Independent School District Records, 1881-1902. Ledgers from Ball High School, 1886-1892; First District School, 1884-1888; Grammar School, 1881-1888; Second District School, 1881-1884; West District Colored School, 1885-1895; West District School, 1895-1902.
MS95-0010. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize)
W. K. Hebert & Company Records, 1919-1968. Includes Rosewood Cemetery Association records.
MS87-0033. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize); Index on Ready Reference Shelf
Green’s Funeral Home Ledgers, 1948-1999 (African-American)
MS2014-0008. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize)
Johnson-Young Funeral Service, [1947 – 1950]. Beal, Bertha Ellen, compiler.
F 394 .25 .G2 J6 1995. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Cahill Cemetery Records, 1923 – 1951.
MS# 77-0033. GTHC Manuscript Collection
Episcopal Cemetery Register, 1848 – 1994.
MS# 95-0006. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize)
Cemetery and Marriage Records Notebook for Galveston, 1838-circa 1840.
MS# 85-0025. GTHC Manuscript Collection (oversize)
Magnolia Grove Association Records, 1871.
MS# 71-0097. GTHC Manuscript Collection
Magnolia Grove Cemetery Collection, 1876-1941.
MS# 88-0009. GTHC Manuscript Collection
Galveston County Tombstones Inscriptions. Texas City Ancestry Searchers.
F 392 .G25 G2. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Volume 1: Alta Loma Cemetery; Fairview Cemetery, League City; San Leon Cemetery; City Cemetery, Dickinson; Episcopal Cemetery, Dickinson; Mainland Cemetery, Hitchcock; Perthius Cemetery, Hitchcock; Campbell’s Cemetery, Texas City.
Volume 2: Campbell’s Cemetery, Texas City (revised); Evergreen Cemetery, Arcadia: Grace Memorial Cemetery, Alta Loma; LaMarque Cemetery; High Island Cemetery; Bolivar Cemetery.
Volume 3: Galveston County Memorial Park Cemetery burial records before 1952 (Hitchcock)
Broadway Cemeteries Galveston, Texas. McBee, Linda and Doug.
F 394 .25 G2 M3 1994. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Book 1: Vol. 1: Oct. 1900 – March 1910, A-J
Book 1: Vol. 2: Oct. 1900 – March 1910, K-Z
Book 2: Vol. 1: 1910 – 1920, A-K
Book 2: Vol. 2: 1910 – 1920, L-Z
Book 2: Vol. 3: 1920 – 1930, A-K
Book 2: Vol. 3: 1920 – 1930, L-Z
Lakeview Cemetery Record, Galveston, Texas. McBee, Linda, compiler.
F 394.25 .G2 L3 1992. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Vol. 1: 1887 – 1908
Vol. 2: 1908 – 1917
Vol. 3: 1917 – 1929
Confederate Veterans “Rest in Peace” Galveston, Texas. McBee, Linda, compiler.
F 394.25 .G2 C6 1991. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Find-A-Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/
Ships Passenger Lists, Port of Galveston, 1846 – 1871. Galveston County Genealogical Society.
HE 601 .U5 S5. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Passenger Lists for Galveston, 1850 – 1855. Blaha, Albert, compiler. These lists were compiled from German newspapers and newsletters. The lists are in chronological order. There is no name index.
HE 601 .U5 P3 1985. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
The Galveston-Bremen Project: 1865 – 1896. Konecny, Lawrence, compiler. Immigration from Bremen and Bremerhaven to Galveston, Texas 1865 – 1896, an analysis by year and by voyage. Information gathered from newspapers; not a complete list of immigrants.
F 395 .G3 K6 1995. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Immigrant Names Obtained from Alternative Sources : Surname Index of Galveston-Bremen Project Passenger Lists. Konecny, Lawrence, compiler. Surnames listed in alphabetical order.
CS 68 .I5 2005. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Fisher-Miller and GEC Forever: July 1844 – Feb. 1846. Kleinecke, Charles, Jr., compiler. From the original ship lists in the Texas State Archives at Austin, TX (the Fisher Colony Papers).
F 395 .G3 F53 1994. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Czech Immigration Passenger Lists, Vol. 1, 2, 3, 6. Baca, Leo. Includes pictures and information about the ships.
CS 68 .B32. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Comal County, Texas and New Braunfels German Immigration Ships, 1845-1846. McManus, J.
F 395 .G3 M253 1985a. GTHC Reading Room
New Homes in a New Land: German Immigration to Texas, 1844 – 1847. Geue, Chester W. and Ethel.
F 395 .G3 G41. GTHC Ready Reference Shelf
Passenger Lists for the Port of Galveston, 1895 – 1948. Indexed. Microfilm on 3rd Floor. (Note: There are no official Galveston passenger lists for the years 1872 – 1894.)
Passengers Arriving in the United States: Letter from the Secretary of State Transmitting the Annual Report of Passengers Arriving in the United States During the Year Ending December 31, 1856. United States. Department of State.
JV 6465 .A25 1857. GTHC Reading Room
United States. Immigration and Naturalization Service records (Galveston), 1921-1948. Passenger manifests from ships bound for Galveston, starting with the SS Harry Farnum on April 4, 1921 and ending with the SS Joseph Lykes on October 25, 1948.
MS94-0018. GTHC Microfilm on 3rd Floor
United States. Immigration and Naturalization Service Records (Texas), 1895-1954. Selected inbound ship passenger manifests and crew lists kept by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for Galveston, Houston, Corpus Christi and other Texas cities.
MS83-0014. GTHC Microfilm on 3rd Floor
U.S. Customs Service records, 1846-1871. Selected quarterly abstracts of passenger lists from vessels arriving at Galveston.
MS83-0015. GTHC Microfilm on 3rd Floor
National Archives. See also: http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/index.html
Texas Seaport Museum’s Galveston Immigration Database: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/attractions/maritime-heritage/galveston-immigration-database
2200 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX 77550, 409-763-1877.
Immigrant Ships Transcriber’s Guild Database: www.immigrantships.net. Access by Port of Arrival, Port of Departure, Ship or Captain Name, or Chronologically.
Bremen Passenger Lists (the Original): http://www.passengerlists.de/ A project with the Bremen Chamber of Commerce and the Bremen Staatsarchiv
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/passengerlists/index.htm
The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.
Passenger Search: https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger
Ship Search: https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ship
Naturalization Records prior to 1950 are held at the Civil Division of the District Clerk’s Office. Information may include the immigrant’s Petition and Declaration of Intent to become a citizen, along with accompanying data, such as birth, origin, family, employment, residence, and arrival information.
Galveston County Courthouse, 4th Floor, Suite 4001, 600 59th Street, Galveston, TX 77551, 409-766-2440. http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/dc/Pages/default.aspx
Galveston City Directories
1859 – 1860; 1866-1913, Online at Portal to Texas History
1866 - 1960, Online at HeritageQuest Online (with library card) and Ancestry Library Edition (in-library only)
1856 – 1860; 1866 – 1938 on microfilm
1938 – current, bound editions in GTHC Reading Room
Galveston Telephone Directories
1904 – current, shelved in GTHC Book Room
1866 – 1904 [not inclusive]. GTHC Dewey Reference
1967 – 1991 [not inclusive]. GTHC Reading Room
1964 – 1979. GTHC Reading Room
Texas City/La Marque City Directories
1963 – 1993. GTHC Reading Room
Avenue L Baptist Church Records, 1840 – 1861.
MS# 83-0046, located in GTHC
First Baptist Church Meeting Minutes, 1840 – 1948.
MS# 83-0005 microfilm, located in GTHC
First Baptist Church Records, 1882 –1938.
MS# 79-0000, located in GTHC
First Lutheran Church Records, 1850 – 1946. [Records are written in German].
MS# 83-0006 microfilm, located in GTHC
First Presbyterian Church Papers, 1868 – 1976.
MS# 76-0039, located in GTHC.
Grace Episcopal Church Records, 1875 – 1955.
MS# 89-0012, located in GTHC. Also on microfilm.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Galveston, Texas: baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and death records, 1860 – 1952. Galveston County Genealogical Society.
BX 4603 .G2 S24 1984, GTHC Ready Reference Shelf. Also on microfilm, MS# 83-0007
Temple B’Nai Israel Congregation, 1869 – 1953.
MS# 83-0008 microfilm, located in GTHC
Trinity Episcopal Church Records, 1865 – 1944.
MS# 86-0006, portions on microfilm, located in GTHC
Zion Lutheran Church Records, [1896 – 1945].
MS# 89-0023, located in GTHC
Lisa May, Director
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Archives
Downtown Chancery
1700 San Jacinto
Houston, TX 77002
713-652-8283
https://www.archgh.org/offices-ministries/administration/archives-records/
Galveston County, Texas, in the Civil War. Ericson, Carolyn Reeves.
F 392 .G25 E75 2012. GTHC Reading Room
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 880 Membership Records, 1930-1998. MS2018-0019, located in GTHC.
Fold3 (Library Edition). Accessed by library’s website www.rosenberg-library.org → e-Library → All Online Databases → History, Genealogy, & Anthropology → Fold3 Library Edition.
Index to Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas, 1835 – 1845. https://www.tshaonline.org/supsites/military/
Research in Military Records: Civil War. http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/
NewspaperArchives. Searchable, digitized microfilm of Galveston newspapers, as well as many other newspapers across the country. Accessible through Computer Lab on the third floor. www.rosenberg-library.org under E-Library / All Online Databases / Articles, News, & Magazines / NewspaperArchives.
Portal to Texas History. Searchable newspapers from Galveston and across Texas, as well as many other Texas history resources. Accessible online at https://texashistory.unt.edu/.
Flake’s Bulletin: 1861 – 1872
Galveston Daily News: 1863 – 69; 1870 – present
Galveston News: 1846-1863
Galveston Tri-Weekly News: 1855 – 1873
Galveston Tribune: 1885 – 1965 (only a few scattered issues)
Indianola Bulletin: 1853 – 1860
Indianola Courier: 1859 – 1861
Indianola Times: April 21, 1866
Indianola Weekly Bulletin: 1871 – 1872
Cyndi’s List. Website with links that point you to thousands of genealogical research sites online at: www.cyndislist.com
The USGenWeb Project. Volunteer project organized by county and state. http://www.usgenweb.org/
Family Histories. Privately published family histories
GTHC Reading Room
Texas County History and Genealogical Works
GTHC Reading Room
Maps. (#398B) Texas County map showing landowners; (#499A) Map of the Cahill Cemetery; (#414B) Galveston County map showing landowners
Galveston County Genealogical Society
The Galveston County Genealogical Society was established in 1979 in Galveston, Texas with the purpose of promoting interest in genealogy, providing assistance in genealogical research, and preserving and disseminating local genealogical information through publications, seminars, and workshops. Meetings are held September through May on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m - 9:00 p.m. at Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy, Galveston, Texas.
Galveston County Clerk’s Office
600 59th Street Suite 2001, 2nd floor
Mailing address: PO. Box 17253, Galveston, TX 77552-7253
409-766-2200
http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/cc/Pages/default.aspx
Civil Division of the District Clerk, Galveston County
600 59th Street Suite 4001, 4th floor
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 17250, Galveston, TX 77551
409-766-2424
http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/dc/Pages/default.aspx
Galveston County Health Department
Birth & Death Records (Vital Statistics)
9850 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Suite A-102
Texas City, TX 77591
409-938-7221 or 409-765-2595
https://www.gchd.org/public-health-services/environmental-health-services-/forms-reports-requests/birth-death-records
Updated 5/26/2020 LM
(409) 763-8854 ext. 126
[email protected]
Galveston and Texas History Center
Rosenberg Library
2310 Sealy Avenue
Galveston, TX 77550
Open Tue-Sat 9-6
Directions & Maps
