Step-by-Step Ohio Research, 1850-1910

Ohio Step-by-Step Research, 1850--1910 Step-by-Step Research, 1880-present Step-by-Step Research, 1850--1910

Step 1: Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History


 * Creating Oral Histories

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2: Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
Example of a census record.
 * A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
 * For each person living in a household (depending on the year), their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed.
 * Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
 * Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.





Quadrennial Censuses With Images Online
'''Ohio enumerated a quadrennial census at the county level. Some of these censuses still exist. Adult males age 21 and above were enumerated.'''

- For more information, see Ohio Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Try to find additional details in death certificates, Social Security, obituary and cemetery records online.
When a person dies, several records will be created: death certificates, Social Security records, obituaries, and cemetery records.
 * Death certificates can give birth information for people born before actual birth registration began. Death certificates frequently give the birth date and place, parents' names, and birth places of parents.


 * The Social Security Death Index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits. The index entries give the person's full birth date, last known residence, and residence at the time they first enrolled.


 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index provides information filed in the application or claims process, including valuable details such as birth date, birth place, and parents’ names.

Example of a death index entry.
 * Cemetery records can be as simple as the information on the headstone or, in some FindAGrave records, they can report more thorough information about birth, parents, spouses, children, and siblings.



Death Indexes

 * Index only.
 * Index and Images.
 * Index and Images.
 * Ohio Deaths, 1913 - 1944, 1954 - 1963, ($), index
 * Ohio, Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-2007 ($)
 * Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963, index ($)
 * Ohio Death Certificate Index (Includes stillborn).
 * Ohio Deaths, 1959-2012, ($), index
 * Ohio Deaths, 1959-2012, ($), index

Writing for Full Death Certificates
The full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).
 * Where to Write for Ohio Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

U.S. Social Security Records

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at
 * Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

Obituaries

 * Online Ohio Death Records &amp; Indexes, by county
 * Ohio Obituary Index
 * Ohio Genealogical Society Obituary Index
 * Web: Ohio, MOLO Obituary Index, 1811-2012 ($)
 * Ohio Obituary Index, 1814-2013, ($), index
 * Genealogy Buff
 * Ohio Obituaries
 * — index and images

Cemetery Collections

 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * Find-A-grave
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * United States Deaths & Burials 1833-1970 in Ohio at Findmypast ($)
 * Ohio Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Ohio Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Ohio Gravestones Photo Project at OhioGravestones
 * OhioTombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb
 * Online Ohio Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at Online Death Indexes
 * Ohio Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project

For more information, see Ohio Obituaries and Ohio Cemeteries.

Step 4: Search for county birth and marriage records online.
'''Vital records registration of births and marriages at the state level started in 1905. Prior to that the individual counties kept some records. The starting dates of those records vary from county to county, depending on when the county was formed.''' Example of a county birth index entry. Example of an indexed county marriage entry.

Online Records
Births Marriages
 * , index.
 * Ohio, Births and Christenings, Index, 1800-1962 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Index and Images, dates vary by county.
 * Ohio, Birth Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 ($), also at MyHeritage, ($),
 * — index and images
 * Ohio Marriages, 1789-1898 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900 ($)
 * Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003, ($), index
 * Ohio Marriage Index, 1970, 1972-2007 ($)
 * Ohio Marriage Records, 1970, 1972-2011, ($) index

Records at the County Probate Court, the Ohio Historical Society, or at the Vital Statistics Department
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).
 * State office has birth records since December 20, 1908. For earlier birth and death records, write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred.
 * Copies of marriage records are not available from the State Health Department. Inquiries will be referred to appropriate office. For certified copies of marriage records, please write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred.
 * State office has death records since January 1, 1964. For earlier death records, write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred. Death records that occurred December 20, 1908 – December 31, 1963 can be obtained from:
 * Ohio Historical Society, Archives Library Division
 * 1982 Velma Avenue
 * Columbus, OH 43211-2497

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 * Vital Statistics Department has births from 1908 and deaths from 1964.

For contact information for the Counnty Probate Court, see the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Ohio Counties. For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Ohio, see How to Find Ohio Birth Records, How to Find Ohio Marriage Records, and How to Find Ohio Death Records.