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People:Vital Records

Ottawa County Vital Records

Records of Births, Marriages, Divorces and Deaths are kept as described below.

Births: 

Many early births prior to 1900 were unrecorded.   For early births, baptism records may be a more reliable source.

Birth records from 1867-1908 are maintained at the office of the Ottawa County Probate Court.
Birth records from December 20, 1908 to the present time are maintained at the Ottawa County Health Department.
Birth records from December 20, 1908 to the present time are maintained at the Ohio Department of Health.

On-line data: Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1964 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)
  Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)

Marriages: 

Marriage records from July 1840 to the present time are maintained at the office of the Ottawa County Probate Court.
Abstracts (summarized data) of marriage records from January 1, 1954 to the present time are maintained at the Ohio Department of Health.

On-line data: Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ottawa County Ohio Marriages, 1850-1890 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)

Divorces:

Divorce records are maintained by the Ottawa County Clerk of Courts

Abstracts (summarized data) of divorce records from January 1, 1954 to the present time are maintained at the Ohio Department of Health.

On-line data: Ohio Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)

Deaths: 

Many early deaths were unrecorded, even as late as 1920.  Tombstone readings and church records may provide evidence not available in the civil records.

Death records from 1869-1908 are maintained at the office of the Ottawa County Probate Court.
Death recrods from December 20, 1908 to the present time are maintained at the Ottawa County Health Department.
Death records from January 1, 1954 to the present time are maintained at the Ohio Department of Health.

On-line data: Ohio Deaths 1908-1953 - index and images at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 - index and images at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1944 - index at ohiohistory.org (no charge)
  Social Security Death Index - index at familysearch.org (no charge)
  Ohio Deaths, 1958-2000 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)



Additional records of interest include citizenship and census records:

Declarations of Intent and Naturalizations:

Declarations of Intent and Naturalizations were handled at various times through the Ottawa County Probate Court and the Ottawa County Court of Common Pleas.  Many Ottawa County residents filed papers in Fremont (Sandusky Co.), Sandusky (Erie Co.) and Toledo (Lucas Co.), so if records are not found in Ottawa County, these additional sources should be checked.

On-line data: Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 - index and images at familysearch.org (no charge)
note: browse the images as not all records are indexed
  Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 - index at Ancestry.com (restricted - membership or library access required)
   
Other: Ottawa County, Ohio Declarations of Intent 1877-1902 (and later) and Naturalization Records 1877-1903 (and later)  - on microfilm through the LDS Family History Centers

Census: 

Census records for 1790-1940 are available on microfilm at many genealogical libraries.

Census data for 1840 forward will be identified as Ottawa County.  For 1830 and earlier, inhabitants will be reported under Sandusky, Erie or Lucas Counties.

On-line data: United States Census - indexes at familysearch.org (no charge)

If you have a library card from a major library, you may have at-home access to census index and image data through HeritageQuest.  Check your library's website for further information.


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