Find Columbiana County Obituary Records
Columbiana County obituary and death records are maintained by offices in Lisbon, Ohio. The county health department stores death certificates from 1909, and the probate court keeps earlier records from 1867 to 1908. Whether you need a certified copy for legal use or are searching for a family obituary, Columbiana County has clear paths for both. The county sits in northeast Ohio along the Pennsylvania border, and its records tie into several statewide databases that make searching easier. Newspaper obituaries from the Salem News and other area papers add another layer of detail for anyone doing family research.
Columbiana County Overview
Columbiana County Health Department
The Columbiana County Health Department is the main source for death certificates in the county. They hold records for deaths in Columbiana County from 1909 forward. The office is at 7360 State Route 45 in Lisbon. Ohio's statewide issuance system means you can also pick up birth certificates for any Ohio county at this location, which is set up under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705.
To get a certified copy, bring your photo ID and have the full name and date of death ready. The fee is about $25.00 per copy. You can pay by cash, check, or money order. Section 3705.23 says the local registrar must provide certified copies after verifying your identity. Mail requests are accepted too. Send a written request with a check or money order, a copy of your ID, and the details needed to find the record. Allow a couple of weeks for processing by mail.
For deaths that happened outside Columbiana County but still in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Health covers all Ohio deaths from 1971 to the present. Their fee is $21.50 per certified copy.
| Office | Columbiana County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 7360 St. Rt. 45, Lisbon, OH 44432 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, regular business hours |
Columbiana County Probate Court
The Columbiana County Probate Court at 105 South Market Street in Lisbon holds death records from 1867 to 1908. These pre-registration records are ledger entries with the name, date of death, and sometimes the cause and burial place. They are shorter than modern death certificates but still valuable for tracing family back to the 1800s. Columbiana County was formed in 1803, so the probate court has one of the longer record histories in this part of Ohio.
The court also keeps marriage licenses, wills, estates, and guardianship records. Estate records can help with obituary research because they list heirs and confirm dates of death. A will filed after someone dies often names children, grandchildren, and other family. The probate court can be reached at (330) 424-7777.
Columbiana County Obituary Research
The Salem Public Library maintains an obituary index from the Salem News covering 1957 to 2011. This index is a strong local resource for finding Columbiana County obituaries from the second half of the 20th century. Some of these records are also available through Ancestry.com for subscribers. The library can help you track down full obituary text once you find an entry in the index.
For broader searches, the Ohio Obituary Index at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library covers over 3.7 million entries from newspapers across Ohio. The index includes funeral home records, wills, and cemetery listings. The Ohio Death Record Index at the Ohio History Connection lets you search death certificate entries from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970 for free. FamilySearch provides free images of Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953.
The Columbiana County government website has a directory of all county offices and services that may help with your search.
Note: The Salem News obituary index covers a specific range and may not include every small-town paper in the county, so check multiple sources for thorough research.
Searching Columbiana County Obituaries Online
Start with the free Ohio Death Record Index at the Ohio History Connection. You need the name and year of death, plus the county, month and year, or certificate number. The index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970. For deaths from 1908 to 1953, FamilySearch has full digital images of the certificates viewable for free.
The Ohio Department of Health has an online ordering system for deaths from 1971 to today. You pay $21.50 per record with a credit card, and the certified copy arrives by mail in about three weeks. This fee is set by Section 3705.24 of the Ohio Revised Code. For newspaper obituaries, the Ohio Obituary Index and the Salem Public Library's index are the top starting points for Columbiana County.
How to Get Columbiana County Death Records
Where you go depends on the year of death and what kind of copy you need. Here is a breakdown of the main sources for Columbiana County obituary and death records.
- Columbiana County Health Department: deaths from 1909, about $25 per copy
- Ohio Department of Health: Ohio deaths from 1971, $21.50 per copy
- Ohio History Connection: death certificates 1908-1970, non-certified
- Columbiana County Probate Court: death records 1867-1908
- FamilySearch: free images of 1908-1953 Ohio death certificates
- Salem Public Library: obituary index from Salem News 1957-2011
Section 3705.231 gives you the right to photograph or copy vital records during an in-person visit. For certified copies needed for legal purposes, you must go through the health department or the state office. Section 3705.29 covers penalties for fraud related to vital records.
Columbiana County Government
The Columbiana County government website provides information about county offices and services in Lisbon.
Use the county website to find contact details for the health department, probate court, and other offices that handle Columbiana County death and obituary records.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Columbiana County. If you are not sure where a death took place, check the neighboring county records.