Lancaster Obituary Database
Lancaster is the county seat of Fairfield County in central Ohio, with a population around 40,000. Obituary and death record searches for Lancaster residents go through the Fairfield County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health. The Fairfield County District Library at 219 N. Broad Street has local genealogy and history collections that can help with obituary lookups. The Fairfield County Probate Court holds older death records dating back to 1867. If you want to find an obituary or death certificate for someone who lived in Lancaster, there are both local county resources and statewide databases you can use. Most searches start with the county health department or one of the free online indexes that cover Ohio death records.
Lancaster Overview
Fairfield County Obituary Records
Lancaster is in Fairfield County and serves as the county seat. All death records and vital statistics for the city go through the Fairfield County system. The Fairfield County Health Department is located at 1550 Sheridan Dr., Suite 100 in Lancaster. You can reach them at 740-652-2800, Option 2. They keep death certificates for Fairfield County from 1908 to the present.
The fee for a certified death certificate through the Fairfield County Health Department is $32 per copy. You can order in person, by mail, or online through Point and Pay. Keep in mind that certified copies can not be emailed; you must pick them up or have them mailed. The health department also issues birth certificates for any county in Ohio from 1908 forward, which makes it a convenient one-stop office for Lancaster residents.
For deaths before 1908, the Fairfield County Probate Court at 224 E. Main Street on the 3rd floor in Lancaster holds the older death registers. Their records go back to 1867. Phone them at 740-652-7485. Certified copies from the probate court cost $1 per page, and regular copies are just 10 cents per page. They accept cash, certified checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards (with a 3% service charge for cards).
Lancaster Death Certificates
Death certificates for Lancaster residents are filed with Fairfield County. The county health department issues certified copies for deaths from 1908 forward. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, the state manages the vital records system and sets the rules for access.
Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23 controls who can get a certified copy. Close family members, legal representatives, and people with a direct interest can request certified copies. For genealogy or obituary research in Lancaster, you may be able to get an informational copy instead. These are not valid for legal purposes but still show the details you need for family research.
The Ohio Department of Health can also issue certified copies of Lancaster death certificates at $21.50 each, which is less than the Fairfield County rate of $32. You can order through the state online, by mail, or in person at 35 East Chestnut Street in Columbus. For Lancaster residents, the state online option may save both time and money compared to ordering locally.
The Ohio History Connection holds death certificates from 1908 to 1970. They can not certify these records, but they provide copies for research. This is useful if you need a Lancaster death record for genealogy and do not need a legally certified copy.
Lancaster Library Obituary Resources
The Fairfield County District Library at 219 N. Broad Street in Lancaster has genealogy and local history collections that help with obituary research. They maintain local newspaper archives and other materials that cover Lancaster and Fairfield County. Staff can help you search for specific obituary listings and point you toward the right resources.
The Fairfield County Genealogical Society publishes Death Records of Fairfield County Ohio, which comes in two volumes. Volume I covers 1867 to 1890 with over 6,000 names across 304 pages. Volume II covers 1890 to 1908. These publications are a valuable resource if you are searching for older Lancaster obituary records from the period before the state took over death registration.
For broader searches, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center runs the Ohio Obituary Index with over three million entries from Ohio newspapers going back to the 1810s. Lancaster and Fairfield County obituaries are included in this index. You can search online for free and then request a copy from the contributing library. This is one of the most complete obituary databases in Ohio.
Lancaster Obituary Search Tools
The City of Lancaster official website provides local government information and links to county services for vital records requests.
As the county seat, Lancaster is home to the Fairfield County government offices. The probate court, health department, and other county offices are all located in or near downtown Lancaster, making it easy to access obituary and death records in person.
The Ohio Death Record Index covers state death certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Search by name and get a 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 older Lancaster obituary records.
The Fairfield County Probate Court also has an online presence where you can get information about requesting records. Estate filings at the probate court sometimes include obituary clippings, death notices, and related documents. These are especially useful when a death certificate alone does not provide all the family details you need for genealogy work in Lancaster.
How to Get Lancaster Obituary Copies
Getting copies of obituary and death records in Lancaster depends on when the death happened and what kind of document you need. Here are the main options for Lancaster residents and researchers.
For certified death certificates from 1908 to present, contact the Fairfield County Health Department at 1550 Sheridan Dr. in Lancaster or call 740-652-2800. The fee is $32 per certified copy. You can also order through the Ohio Department of Health at $21.50 per copy. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the state registrar sets the rules for certified copies across Ohio.
- In person at the Fairfield County Health Department in Lancaster
- Online through Point and Pay or the Ohio Department of Health
- By mail with a completed application and payment
- Fairfield County Probate Court for records from 1867-1908
- Fairfield County Genealogical Society for published death record indexes
For obituary copies from newspapers, the Fairfield County District Library is the best local source. The Ohio Obituary Index is also searchable online for free. Many Ohio libraries offer access to Ancestry Library Edition and other tools that include Lancaster obituary entries and death indexes for the broader Fairfield County area.
Note: For deaths before 1867, there are no official Ohio death records. Church records, cemetery records, and newspaper obituaries are likely the only sources for Lancaster area research from that period.
Nearby Ohio Cities
Lancaster is in central Ohio, southeast of Columbus. Several nearby cities have their own obituary resources. If the person you are looking for may have lived in a different city, check their local records as well.
Columbus • Newark • Dublin • Springfield • Dayton • Mansfield • Fairfield • Cincinnati • Beavercreek • Kettering
Fairfield County Obituary Records
Lancaster is the county seat of Fairfield County. All death records filed in the city go through the Fairfield County system. The county health department handles modern death certificates, the probate court manages older records and estate filings, and the genealogical society publishes historical death record indexes. For a full look at county resources, visit the Fairfield County page.