Akron Obituary Records
Akron sits in Summit County and has a population near 190,000. Finding an obituary for someone who lived or died in Akron takes a bit of know-how since records are split between the county health department, the probate court, and the public library. The Akron-Summit County Public Library holds one of the best local obituary collections in the state, with Akron Beacon Journal indexes going back to 1937. Most Akron obituary searches start at the library or through the Ohio Department of Health, and the right path depends on when the person died and what kind of record you need. Summit County also keeps death records at the local health district for deaths from 1908 forward.
Akron Overview
Summit County Obituary Records
Akron is the county seat of Summit County. All death records and vital statistics for the city run through the county or state system. The Summit County Probate Court at 209 South High Street in Akron holds death records from 1867 through December 1908. These older records were kept as line entries in probate court ledgers before Ohio started statewide death registration. If you need a death record from that time, the probate court is the place to check.
For deaths after December 20, 1908, the Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics is the main source for certified copies. You can order them online, by mail, or in person at the state office in Columbus. The fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 2025. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 sets the rules for who can get copies and how the state handles vital records. The Summit County General Health District at 1867 West Market Street in Akron also issues death certificates for deaths that happened in the county from 1908 to the present.
The probate court still matters for Akron obituary research today. Estate filings often contain death certificates, obituary clippings, and other documents that name the person who died. Probate records can fill in gaps that a death certificate alone does not cover. You can call the Summit County Probate Court to ask about a specific case before you make the trip.
Akron Death Certificates
The Summit County General Health District handles death certificates for deaths in Summit County from 1908 to the present. Their office is at 1867 West Market Street, Building A, in Akron. The phone number is 330-643-9000. You can walk in during business hours on weekdays.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, close family members, legal representatives, and people with a direct interest in the record can get certified copies of a death certificate. If you are doing genealogy work or searching for an Akron obituary, you may be able to get an informational copy instead. These are not valid for legal use but they show all the details you need for family research. The state registrar sets the fees under Section 3705.24, and the current rate is $21.50 per copy at the state level.
For deaths before 1908, the Summit County Probate Court has death registers going back to 1867. Before that year, Ohio did not require official death records at all. For deaths between 1908 and 1970, the Ohio History Connection in Columbus has copies of death certificates in their archives. They can not certify records, but they can give you copies for research.
Akron Library Obituary Resources
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is the best place to start an Akron obituary search. Their Special Collections division at 60 South High Street in Akron has a deep genealogy section. Staff there can help you track down obituaries, death notices, and related records from across Summit County.
The library maintains the Akron Beacon Journal Obituary Indexes covering 1937 to the present. These are downloadable PDF files organized by year. They also have the Akron Beacon Journal Subject Indexes going back to 1841, which cover obituaries and other newspaper content from that era. If you are looking for an Akron obituary from any time in the last 180 years, the library likely has a way to find it.
Card holders get home access to HeritageQuest and the Ohio Collection on Newspapers.com. The library also provides in-library access to Ancestry Library Edition and FamilySearch as an affiliate location. Their Summit Memory digital collection includes local photographs and documents. Online city directories from 1859 to 1969 are also available through the library site, which can help you confirm addresses and family members when tracking down an obituary.
The library staff can also point you to the Ohio Obituary Index at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, which has over 3.7 million obituary entries from Ohio newspapers dating back to the 1810s. Akron obituaries are well represented in this index. You can search it online for free and then request copies from the partner library that contributed the listing.
Akron Obituary Search Tools
The Akron-Summit County Public Library offers genealogy and obituary search tools through its main branch and online portal for Summit County residents.
Card holders can use many of these tools from home, including newspaper archives and obituary databases that cover the greater Akron area and all of Summit County.
The City of Akron website provides links to city departments and services, though vital records are handled at the county level through Summit County offices.
For Akron residents searching for death records, the city site can help you find the right county office to contact.
The Ohio Death Record Index at the Ohio History Connection is another strong tool for Akron obituary research. It covers state death certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. You search by name and the index gives you the certificate number. With that number, you can order a copy from the Ohio History Connection for research or from the state health department for a certified version. This free database is one of the best starting points for anyone looking for Akron death records from the early to mid 1900s.
How to Get Akron Obituary Copies
There are a few ways to get copies of obituary and death records in Akron. The right method depends on the date of death and what type of document you need.
For certified death certificates from 1908 to present, contact the Ohio Department of Health or the Summit County General Health District. You can order online, by mail, or in person. The fee is $21.50 per copy at the state level. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the state registrar sets the fees and rules for issuing certified copies. The Summit County health district may charge a slightly different rate for local processing.
- Online ordering through the Ohio Department of Health portal
- In person at 1867 West Market St., Building A, Akron
- By mail with a completed application form
- Through VitalChek for expedited processing
For obituary copies from newspapers, the Akron-Summit County Public Library is the best source. Their staff can look up obituaries in the Beacon Journal indexes and pull copies from microfilm or digital archives. The library also has Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953 on microfilm for viewing. In-person visits give you direct access to the microfilm readers and digital databases. You can also use HeritageQuest from home with your library card to search for death records and obituaries in the Akron area.
Note: For deaths before 1867, there are no official Ohio death records, and church records, cemetery records, and newspaper obituaries may be the only sources available for Akron families.
Nearby Ohio Cities
Akron is in the northeast part of the state. Several other Ohio cities are within easy reach, and each has its own set of obituary resources and vital records offices. If the person you are looking for lived in one of these cities, you may need to check their local records too.
Canton • Cleveland • Cuyahoga Falls • Youngstown • Elyria • Lorain • Parma • Mentor • Strongsville • Lakewood
Summit County Obituary Records
Akron is in Summit County, and all death records filed in the city go through the Summit County system. The county probate court handles estate filings, older death records, and other documents that often include obituary information. For more about county-level resources, visit the Summit County page.