Ohio Tax Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
Tax records have been kept since the colonial era. Ohio records began early.

Record History
Governments created tax records that vary in content according to the purpose of the assessment. Most are based on personal property, real estate, and income. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. Numerous families lived in Ohio and owned taxable property.

Why This Record Was Created
Tax records are based on the property owned by people. Only the person who owned the taxable property was listed on the tax record; other residents, living on the property, were not listed.

Record Reliability
Tax records are considered a primary source. They are usually reliable because they are kept by the county clerk in the local courthouse, who usually recorded the event at or very near the time it occurred.

The information given in town land records is generally reliable, although there may be errors made in transcribing the town’s copy from the original deed.

Record Description
Entries are recorded in voucher books, one person per page.

Record Content


Genealogical information in Ohio tax records include:


 * Legal description of real and personal property
 * Names and ages of property owners and possible relationships
 * Time periods when families resided in Ohio
 * Occupation of the property owner
 * Places of residence
 * Names of other relatives
 * Additional information associated with the property

How To Use The Record
Tax records supplement census records. Use tax records to:


 * Identify the name and residence of the taxpayer.
 * Identify the occupation of an individual.
 * Obtain a description of the real estate, number of acres owned, types of buildings, identifiable personal property, and how many farm animals.
 * Help trace families moving through Ohio.
 * Identify ages, residences and relationships, and perhaps the year an individual died or left the area.

Related Web Sites
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Related Wiki Articles
Ohio Taxation

Sources of This Collection
"Ohio Tax Records, 1816-1838", database,FamilySearch; Digital copies of originals housed in County Auditors in various counties throughout Ohio.

How To Cite Your Sources
An example of citing these records is: Jefferson County Courthouse, Steubenville, Ohio. Tax record. From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org), April 23, 2010. Robert Young, Springfield Township, Jefferson, Ohio, 1826-1828, reference number 25, film number 16609.

Instructions for citing this source can be found at: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections

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