Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy

Guide to Guernsey County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Belmont and Muskingum Counties 31 January 1810.
 * County Seat: Cambridge

Description
The county was named for the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel, where many of the county's early settlers came from. It's county seat is Cambridge and was founded January 31, 1810. It is located in the South-eastern area of the state.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties
Tuscarawas County •  Harrison County  •  Belmont County  •  Noble County  •  Muskingum County  •  Coshocton County

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Ohio county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Ohio County Boundary Maps" (1788-1888) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Bible Records
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.

Biography
There is a list of biographies and biographical sketches on the Family History Library. Some of the books have digital versions and some are on film. Films may be able to be viewed at the local FamilySearch Center.

Business Records and Commerce
Family History Library lists a book about peddlers licences and fees on film that can be ordered online and viewed at the local FamilySearch Center. Other records may be added in the future.

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Census
Family History Library 1850

Family History Library 1880 Index

Family History Library 1900 Index

Family History Library 1910 Index

Church Records
FamilySearch Catalog

FamilySearch Catalog

Court Records
Family History Library

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
African American

Snider, Wayne L. Guernsey County's Black Pioneers, patriots, and Persons. - Columbus : Ohio Historical Society, 1979. FHL 977.192 F2s

Family History Library Black Pioneers

Genealogy
Family History Library Genealogies

Family History Library Indexes

Family History Library Societies

Family History Library Societies - Indexes

Family History Library Societies - Periodicals

Guardianship
Family History Library

Local Histories

 * Sarchet, Cyrus P.B., History of Guernsey County, Ohio, (Indianapolis, Indiana: B.F. Bowen and Co. 1911). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive Volume 1: ; Volume 2:


 * Wolfe, William G., Stories of Guernsey County, Ohio: History of an Average Ohio County, (Cambridge, Ohio: W.G. Wolfe, 1943). Digital copy at

Land and Property
Family History Library


 * 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management database Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
 * various years - community contributed deeds Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Land and Property - Maps

Maps

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Family History Library

Military

 * 1888-1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War
Civil War service men from Guernsey County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Guernsey County.


 * - 1st Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, Company B, also known as "Laughlin's Cavalry"
 * - 97th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies A and B

Family History Library

Family History Library Civil War

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1977 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Family History Library

Newspapers
Online Newspapers Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * various years - Newspaper articles Clippings, articles and stories of Guernesy County. Courtesy OhioGenWeb

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

Family History Library Indexes

Pensions
Family History Library

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1786 - 1998 Ohio Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1789 - 1996 at FamilySearch.org — images
 * 1790–1967 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This collection consists of probate records and estate files from county courthouses in Ohio. The content and time period varies by county, with more records being added as they become available. This Collection will include records from 1789 to 1996. Currently, (September 2012) the collection is only searchable by browsing the images. A list of Fires that have destroyed records in the courthouses of several counties are listed on the Record Description page.
 * various years - Greene County will index Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - community contributed wills Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Family History Library

Family History Library Indexes

Courthouse
Guernsey County Courhouse 801 Wheeling Avenue Cambridge, OH 43725-2335 Phone: 740.432.9230 Clerk Court has divorce records from 1850 and court records from 1810; Probate Judge has birth, marriage, and probate records;  County Recorder has land records City-County Health Department has death records

Family History Centers
Zanesville Ohio Family History Center

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. Put your town name in the top search box.

Online Genealogy Research Groups

 * U.S. Midwest Genealogy Research Community - FamilySearch Facebook Research Group
 * Ohio Ancestors - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join
 * U.S. and Canada Genealogy Research - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join
 * U.S. and Canada Genealogy Research - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join

Taxation

 * 1800–1850 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. Name index of tax records as recorded with the County Auditor of each county. Entries are recorded in voucher books, one person per page. The majority of the tax records in this collection are for the years 1816 through 1838. Currently (September 2012) this collection is 17% complete. Additional records will be added as they are completed.

Family History Library

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1789-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1800-1958 - at FamilySearch – free; Index.
 * 1800-1942 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1895 - 1895 marriage licenses extracted from the Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian. Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * Family History Library
 * Family History Library Indexes
 * 1840-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1908-1953 - Ohio Statewide Death Certificates
 * various years - community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Websites

 * Family History Library for Guernsey County, Ohio
 * The Guernsey County OHGenWeb Project
 * Guernsey County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Guernsey County OH Genealogy
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project Guernsey County Ohio (main site)
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project Guernsey County Ohio (mirror site)
 * Linkpedium Guernsey County Genealogy and Family History
 * Kindred Trails for Guernsey County Genealogy
 * CensusFinder for Guernsey County, Ohio