Free Online Texas Criminal Records

Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is criminal records. Some of our ancestors unfortunately got in trouble with the law. And records were kept from arrests through court cases to prison documents. Now, more and more of these records are being digitized or transcribed and are being made available online.

Types of Records

• Criminal court proceedings
• Police reports
• Prison and jail admission registers
• Arrest records
• Mug books
• Pardon and discharge information
• Hospital record books
• Workhouse records

Types of Information

• Name
• Age
• Birth date
• Height
• Weight
• Complexion
• Eye color
• Hair color
• Nationality
• Occupation
• Education
• Habits (alcohol use)
• Relations (parents living)
• Date incarcerated
• Court where charged
• Recommitments
• How and when discharged

Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.

Listed below are links to criminal records that are available for free online for the state; the first list is for multi-state collections:

(Updated March 2023)

Texas Criminal Records

United States

• Before the Needles, Executions in America Database
• Death Penalty USA, Executions 1607-1976 (by state)
• Federal Bureau of Prisons, Inmate Search 1982-
• Freedmen’s Bureau Records Relating to Murders and Outrages

Texas

• Blanco County, Civil Minutes, 1877-1932; Index to Civil Minutes, 1876-1959; Civil Case Papers, 1877-1930
• Brazoria County, Clemens Unit Prison Farm Cemetery
• Brown County, General Index, 1884-1933; Court Records, 1884-1913
• Caldwell County, Civil Case Papers, 1854-1940; Index 1848-1990; Civil and Criminal Minutes, 1855-1940; divorce Records, 1896-1944
• Caldwell County, Index, 1876-1904; Minutes, 1876-1890
• Camp County, Jail Inmates 1900 Census
• Cass County, Jail Census, 1930
• CB Smith Convict Farm, Lines 8 – 71, 1900 Index of Prisoners
• Comanche County, Court Records, 1858-1933
• Cooke County, Convict Labor Record, 1878-1891
• Cooke County, Criminal Minutes
• Cooke County, Jail Register, 1897-1910
• Cooke County, Civil and Probate Minutes, 1849-1936; Probate Papers, 1849-1880; Index, 1849-1972
• Coryell County, State Juvenile Training School Cemetery
• Dallas County, Civil and Criminal Minutes, 1876-1899
• Dallas County, District Court Civil Minutes, 1846-1940; Indexes, 1846-1939
• Denton County, Denton State School Cemetery
• Dickens County, Sheriffs of Dickens County
• Eastland County, Civil Court Minutes
• El Paso County, La Tuna Federal Correctional Institution Cemetery
• Ellis County, Court Minutes, 1850-1931; Civil File Docket and fee books, 1912-1928; general Index, 1900-1935
• Executions in Texas
• Fayette County, Court Minutes, 1838-1958
• Fort Bend County, Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery
• Glasscock County, Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1945
• Gonzales County, Criminal Dockets, District Court, 1866-1930
• Hamilton County, Civil Minutes, 1871-1936
• Hardin County, Hardin County, Criminal and Inquest Records, 1854-1973
• Hardin County, Hardin County, District Court Criminal Records, 1879-1900
• Hays County, Texas, Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1945
• Hays County, Civil Minutes, 1850-1939
• Hood County Court Papers, 1875-1957
• Hunt County, Register of Prisoners, 1876-1892
• Johnson County, Court Records, 1867-1920
• Kaufman County, Rusk County Prison Kaufman County Inmates
• Kaufman County, State Prison Records A-C
• Kaufman County, State Prison Records D-K
• Kaufman County, State Prison Records L-R
• Kaufman County, State Prison Records S-Y
• Lampasas County, Civil Minutes, 1873-1930
• List of All Inmates on Death Row 1923-1973
• Llano County, Civil Case Papers, 1881-1930; Civil Minutes, 1910-1940; Index to Criminal Minutes, 1912-1971; Index to Civil Minutes, 1913-1952
• Montague County, Minutes, 1876-1985
• Navarro County, Prisoner Register, 1904-1956
• Records of the Assistant Commissioner for Texas, 1865-1869
• San Jacinto County, CB Smith Convict Farm 1900 Index of Prisoners
• Smith County, Index to District Court Civil Minutes, 1846-1910; District Court Index to Dockets, 1910-1931; District Court Index to Civil Cases, 1931-1941
• Taylor County, Abilene State School Cemetery
• Texas, Death Row Information, 1982-2021
• Texas, List of all offenders on Death Row 1923-1973
• Texas, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
• Texas, List of fugitives from justice for 1900
• Tom Green County, Convict and Conduct Register
• Travis County Clerk Records, Criminal Minutes
• Travis County Travis State School Cemetery AKA Austin State School Farm Colony
• Travis County, Austin State School Cemetery
• Van Zandt County, Court Minutes, 1848-1932; Civil packets, 1864-1930; Index, 1848-1935; divorce Minutes, 1899-1935
• Van Zandt County, Court Minutes, 1867-1924; Index, 1885-1966
• Van Zandt County, Register of Prisoners, 1890-1917
• Walker County, Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery AKA Huntsville Prison Cemetery
• Winkler County, Register of Prisoners in County Jail, 1928-1936
• Wood County, Civil and Criminal Minutes, 1881-1936
• Wood County, Civil packets, 1878-1885; Index, 1879-1936
• Young County, Jail Register of Prisoners 1878-1893