Ohio, Stark County Coroner's Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of Coroner's Inquest books, reports, and case files from the courthouse in Canton, Ohio. The collection covers the years 1890 to 2002.

As soon as the county coroner’s office was established they began keeping records. The following types of deaths were reported to the county coroner:


 * Accidental deaths
 * Homicidal deaths
 * Occupational deaths
 * Sudden deaths (deaths of infants and young children, or deaths of individuals in any jail, confinement, or custody
 * Suicidal deaths
 * Therapeutic deaths (deaths which occurred during a medical procedure such as surgery)
 * Any death where there is a doubt, question, or suspicion
 * Deaths under any other special circumstances

The records were created as a permanent record of the details surrounding deaths within the county. The records also enabled government officials to better care for the public’s health needs and protection.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Coroner's
 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Unusual details surrounding the death
 * Date examination was made
 * Sometimes, name of mortuary is given

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Locate the death record
 * Search for other vital records, such as birth and marriage
 * Search for an obituary in a local newspaper
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials
 * Consult the Ohio Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Ohio.
 * Ohio Guided Research
 * Ohio Record Finder
 * Ohio Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Ohio Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Stark County, Coroner's records, 1890-2002
 * Stark County, Death records v. 1-4, 1867-1908

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Ohio Historical Records Survey Project Division of Professional and Service Projects, Work Projects Administration, Inventory of the county archives of Ohio, no. 76, Stark County (Canton) Columbus, Ohio : Ohio Historical Records Survey Project, 1940
 * Herbert T. O. Blue, History of Stark County, Ohio : from the age of prehistoric man to the present day 3 volumes. Chicago, Illinois : S. J. Clark Pub. Co., 1928.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.