Ohio, County Births - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Vital Records &gt; Ohio &gt; Ohio Vital Records &gt; Ohio County Birth Records

How To Use This Record
County birth records are the best source prior to 1908 of birth information. Use the family residence at time of birth to identify other records about the family. Use the parents' names to search for information about them and earlier generations.

Why This Record Was Created
The state required countries to begin recording births to document the occurrence of a birth and to track public health issues. Delayed registration of births allowed persons whose birth was not record to obtain a birth certificate, usually needed in order to receive government benefits.

Record History
Ohio counties generally began creating births records in 1867, when Ohio passed a law requiring the recording of births. Physicians or county assessors in cities and townships created birth records and sent them to the country probate court. In accordance with a new state law on December 20, 1908, the county began sending birth records to the state.

Record Description
County birth records were entered into register books with multiple entries to a page. Pages are preprinted and the entries are handwritten.

Record Coverage
County birth records were kept from 1867 to December 1908, though later in some counties.

Many and probably most births in the county were recorded because of the legal requirement for registration.

Record Content
Genealogical facts in county birth entries are:


 * Child's birth date
 * Child's sex
 * Township, county, and state of the child's birth
 * Child's name
 * Parents' names, including the mother's maiden name
 * Often the name of the person reporting the birth
 * Residence of the parents

Record Reliability
Information on birth records is generally reliable, though there is always the chance of misinformation.

Bibliographic Information
Ohio, Probate County [County Name]. Birth records, [date range]. From URL, date accessed or downloaded. Digital reference number, name of person, event place (if any), birth date. Example: Ohio, Probate County (Washington County). Birth records, 1867-1941. From FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org), February 9, 2007. Geo. Heinrich Schramm, born 24 Aug 1867. Ohio, Probate County [County Name]. Birth records [date range]. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, [filming date]. Microform number, page number, entry number (if any), name of person, event place (if any), birth date.