The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) maintains a database of every birth registered to the Texas Department of Health Services between 1903 and 2010. This database is called the Texas Birth Index (TBI). The TSLAC also manages databases of death, marriage, and divorce records.
In addition to providing the public access to vital records for genealogical and research purposes, the TBI is also a helpful resource to locate missing Texas birth certificates.
What Information is Stored in the Texas Birth Index?
While the bulk of the TBI contains information on around 15 million births reported in Texas between 1903-2010, it also has data on select delayed birth registrations from as far back as 1880. The records can provide information on a person’s:
- Name at birth
- Gender at birth
- Place and date of birth
- Parents’ names
- Birth certificate number
How to access the Texas Birth Index
You can search the TBI using the following websites:
- ancestry.com (birth records from 1903-1997)
- familysearch.com
- The TSLAC
In order to identify the records you’re searching for, you’ll need the person on record’s:
- First and last name
- Parents’ names
- Date of birth
If you’re having trouble locating a record, try entering the information in alternative ways since there are sometimes minor errors in older entries. For birth records before 1903, that is not in the delayed birth registration entries, you may want to check local county records.
If you are tracing your family tree or were adopted and looking for your birth family, the TBI is a great place to start. While it is not possible to order a certified birth certificate copy through the TBI, it’s easy to apply for one online using our replacement birth certificate service.