(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
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Divorce records from all over the U.S. are sometimes difficult to find online. They are another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
What can you find in these records? Obviously the dates and location of the divorce proceeding, the date and location of the marriage, the woman’s maiden name, names of minor children, and the reason for the divorce. The reason can not only provide another part of your ancestor’s story but also may lead to more clues, especially in the case of desertion, where you may be able to find the location where the “deserting” party moved to.
WARNING: Some of the information in the Divorce Petitions may be difficult to read. There may be shocking claims, especially related to your ancestors’ physical and emotional cruelty, or other behavior. Be prepared.
In most cases, I did not include the links to County Courts, where most divorce records are now processed and the documents held. However, these divorce documents for most states are partially held in either state archives or county clerk records. So you may wish to avail yourself of the county clerk and court archives, especially those that can be searched online.
Note: Please be aware that if you find the desired divorce record in an index, the holder of the actual materials (e.g., archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.
Note: Some 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 make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Below are links to the state’s divorce record and index collections that are available for free online.
Texas Divorce Records
- Anderson County, Divorce Minutes, 1935-1967
- Anderson County, Civil Case Papers, 1846-1923; General Index, 1898-1942
- Anderson County, Divorce Minutes, 1908-1945
- Andrews County Divorce Records Index 1968-2005
- Angelina County, Divorce Index 1968
- Bastrop County, Civil Minutes, 1837-1933; Civil Case Papers, 1837-1930; Divorce Minutes, 1901-1942; Indexes, 1837-1952
- Bell County, Divorce Minutes
- Bowie County, Divorce Minutes, 1909-1950
- Brown County, Civil Case Papers, 1884-1930
- Brown County, General Index, 1884-1933; Court Records, 1884-1913
- Burleson County Divorce Indexes
- Caldwell County, Divorce Records, 1896-1944
- Camp County, Civil Case Papers, 1874-1930
- Camp County, Court Minutes, 1874-1974
- Clay County, Divorce Minutes, 1925-1943
- Collin County, Civil Minutes ca. 1846-1943 and Index 1846-1943
- Colorado County, Civil Minutes, 1837-1944; Index, 1911-1950
- Colorado County, Divorce Records, 1906-1951; Divorce Minutes, 1916-1956; Index, 1906-1923
- Comanche County Records, 1858-1955
- Comanche County, Divorce Records, 1905-1925
- Cooke County, Civil Minutes, 1857-1908; Index, 1857-1958; Case Papers, 1849-1930
- Coryell County, Court Records, 1856-1934
- Dallas County Divorce Indexes
- Dallas County, Civil Case Papers, 1846-1958
- Ellis County, Civil Court Packets, 1853-1930
- Ellis County, Court Minutes, 1850-1931; Civil File Docket and Fee Books, 1912-1928; General Index, 1900-1935
- Ellis County, Divorce Records, 1899-1936
- Erath County, Minutes of District Court, 1866-1935; Index to Minutes, 1866-1977; Case Packets, 1866-1930
- Falls County, Divorce Records, 1894-1945; Index, 1869-1950
- Fannin County Divorce Records Index
- Fayette County Divorces Index 1966-2001
- Fayette County Divorces, 1966 – 2001
- Glasscock County Divorces – 1968-1997
- Gonzales County Civil Case Papers, 1841-1926
- Gonzales County Divorce Records, 1911-1927
- Gonzales County Index to Probate Case Files, 1832-1918; Probate Case Files, 1832-1890
- Gonzales County, Divorce Records, 1825-1950
- Gonzales County, Divorce Records, 1911-1958
- Gregg County, Civil Case Records, 1873-1933
- Gregg County, Minutes, 1873-1935
- Guadalupe County Divorces 1968 – 2001
- Hardin County, District Court Divorce Records, 1908-1991
- Harrison County, Civil Case Papers, 1841-1930
- Harrison County, Divorce Record, 1903-1943
- Hays County, Civil Case Papers, 1887-1934
- Hays County, District Court Indexes, 1850-1989
- Hill County, Divorce Records, 1911-1947
- Hood County, Minutes, 1875-1943; Civil Papers, 1873-1930; Divorces, 1908-1946; Index, 1875-1974
- Irion County Divorces 1968 – 1997
- Jack County Divorce Index 1968-2010
- Jim Wells County, Divorce Records, 1914-1923
- Johnson County, Civil Court Case Papers, 1852-1930 (filing Date)
- Kaufman County Divorce Index
- Kaufman County, Court Minutes, 1856-1945
- Knox County, Divorce and Ex Parte Packets
- Lavaca County, Divorce Minutes, 1935-1958
- Lee County, Court Records, 1874-1952
- Marion County, Civil Court Case Papers (Filing Dates 1860-1931)
- Martin County Divorces, 1968-2001
- Milam County, Civil Case Papers, 1872-1895
- Milam County, Divorce Minutes, 1893-1944; Index to Divorce Minutes, 1893-1993
- Mills County Clerk Records
- Mills County, Divorce Case Files, 1887-1941
- Moore County, Divorce Index 1968-1969
- Morris County, Minutes, 1875-1940; Index, 1875-1954; Case Papers, 1880-1930
- Navarro County, Court Records, 1855-1922
- Nueces County Divorce Records Index
- Parker County, Civil Minutes, 1874-1925; General Index, 1874-1961; Civil Papers, 1883- 1930
- Parker County, Divorce Minutes, 1900-1944; Index, 1900-1961
- Robertson County, Court Records, 1838-1972
- Smith County, Divorces, 1846-1899
- Smith County, District Court Civil Dockets, 1909-1930
- Smith County, Divorce Records, 1893-1951
- 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
- Swisher County Divorce Index
- Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010
- Texas, Divorce or Annulment Indexes 1968-2017
- Texas, Gonzales County, Divorce Records, 1911-1958
- Van Zandt County, Court Minutes, 1848-1932; Civil Packets, 1864-1930; Index, 1848-1935; Divorce Minutes, 1899-1935
- Washington County, Divorce Records, 1895-1943
- Washington County, General Index to Civil Minutes, 1840-1940; Civil Minutes (County and District Courts), 1837-1944; Civil Case Papers (County and District Courts), 1847-1940
- Williamson County, Case Papers, 1848-1933; Index, 1848-1975; Minutes, 1848-1933
- Williamson County, Divorces, 1909-1936; Index, 1909-1975
- Wise County Divorce Index
- Wise County, Index to District Court Civil Minutes, 1894-1940; Civil Minutes, 1894- 1945; Divorce Records, 1915-1940; Civil Case Papers, 1893-1940
- Wood County, Civil Packets, 1878-1885; Index, 1879-1936
- Wood County, Divorce Records, 1897-1935
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!