Research in Ohio Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources

Welcome to the Ohio family history research page. Here you'll find record collection links, history, and genealogy resources to help you trace your Ohio ancestors.

If you have traced your family history to the state of Ohio you are in good company. How do you begin to Ohio research in order to find the information you need about your family history?

The easiest step toward gathering information can start with a search on the Internet. It is possible to trace Ohio ancestry through several sources; many of these can be found online. These include information from courthouses and government entities, census records, deeds and cemeteries. Other ways to garner Ohio family history is through photographs, name searches and linking up with other people who are also performing genealogy searches.

The motives for tracing Ohio genealogy are as varied as the people who perform searches. Some people are looking for birth parents or other relatives, searching for medical reasons, historical information or even to verify an inheritance. Whatever the reason, finding Ohio ancestry information is easy and inexpensive.

Select a Ohio County Below

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Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, Wyandot

Ohio Facts

First explored for France by Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, in 1669, the Ohio region became British property after the French and Indian Wars. Ohio was acquired by the U.S. after the Revolutionary War in 1783. In 1788, the first permanent settlement was established at Marietta, capital of the Northwest Territory.

The 1790s saw severe fighting with the Indians in Ohio; a major battle was won by Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne at Fallen Timbers in 1794. In the War of 1812, Commodore Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie on Sept. 10, 1813. See also Ohio History Page for more Details

Ohio entered the union as the 17th state on March 1, 1803. It has 88 Counties. The capital is Columbus and the official state website is www.oh.gov/.

Ohio is bordered by Pennsylvania (east), West Virginia (southeast), Kentucky (southwest), Indiana (west), Michigan (north). It has a land area of 44,828 square miles making it the 34th largest state. The 2010 population was 11,536,504 and the largest cities (2010) are Columbus, 787,033; Cleveland, 396,8158; Cincinnati, 296,943; Toledo, 287,208; Akron, 199,110; Dayton, 141,527; Parma, 81,601; Youngstown, 66,982; Canton, 73,007; Lorain, 64,097.

Ohio name comes from the Iroquois Indian word meaning "good river" or "large river." Ohio's state nickname is " Buckeye State ". The State Motto is "United we stand, divided we fall".

Ohio Genealogy Tips & Hints

Tips When Looking for Ohio Genealogy Data - One of the larger of the Midwestern states, Ohio has a diverse history with links to Native American cultures, different periods of history, and a lot of unique cities. This is why so many people have familial connections to the area and why there is a demand for Ohio genealogy materials.

Searching for Ohio Genealogy Information - Today, we can get details about anything over the Internet, and this is a reason that all genealogists should begin their work at a computer. When beginning to search for Ohio genealogy information you can go online and use the many resources available in order to obtain copies of historical materials or simply gather data.

Though there is a lot online it does not mean that everything you require for Ohio genealogy is available electronically. This indicates that research for Ohio genealogy also has to take offline locations into consideration too. Once you identify the “real world” resources to use for Ohio genealogy, and which are your best online resources, you can search more effectively.

Best Tactics for Ohio Genealogy Research - Almost all research begins with the public records available, and these tend to also be the most plentiful of the online resources for Ohio genealogy. They are found in the following places:

  • Vital Records – these will always cover the basic birth, marriage, divorce, and death records from county, state, and national archives. These might also contain newspaper items, military records, immigration and naturalization details, cemetery or obituary information, census records, and passenger lists and records as well. These are going to be available as online or offline resources for Ohio genealogy.
  • State Records – from probate information to surname lists, state census information, private manuscripts, newspapers, military or veterans information, marriage details, maps, land records, genealogical folders, estate information, deeds, death records, cemetery information, birth certificates and more; such records are available as online and offline resources for Ohio genealogy.
  • Local Records – state research tends to begin in a county clerk’s office or website, and then moves on to the small local libraries, historical societies, local genealogical societies, and school or college libraries for Ohio genealogy data. These are materials that are usually offline and viewable by appointment or special arrangement.

Best Locations for Ohio Genealogy Information - Where are the best sources for Ohio genealogy data? We have provided details and links for some of the best for Ohio genealogy below:

  • Vital Statistics, Ohio Department of Health, 246 North High Street, 1st Floor, Columbus, OH 43216; Website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/ohio.htm . This is the best way for obtaining birth, death, marriage and divorce records via a written request or even online.

Additional state and local records can be found at the:

  • Ohio State Archives, 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43211; This is also the home of the Ohio History Center too. Website: http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/statearc/index.html . The Ohio State Archives provides researchers looking for Ohio genealogy data with access to everything from death indexes and materials from the War of 1812 to listings of historical sites to African American archives.

Below are three vital websites that will provide a lot of state-specific details to those in search for Ohio genealogy data.

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