Access Putnam County Obituaries

Putnam County obituary records are managed by offices in Ottawa, Ohio, the county seat. If you need a death certificate or want to find an old obituary from a Putnam County newspaper, there are clear paths to follow. The county health department has modern records while the Probate Court holds files dating back to the 1800s. Putnam County sits in northwest Ohio and has a strong rural character. Death records, burial permits, and published obituary notices are all available through the right channels. This page covers where to go, what it costs, and how to search.

Putnam County Death and Obituary Records

The Putnam County Probate Court sits on the 3rd Floor East Wing, Room 318 of the Putnam County Courthouse in Ottawa. This court holds the county's oldest vital records. Birth and death records start from 1867 and go through 1908. Marriage records go back to 1834, and probate records to 1835. If you are looking for a death record from the 1800s or early 1900s, this is where you need to go.

The Putnam County Health Department handles death certificates from December 20, 1908 to the present. They also issue birth certificates for anyone born in Ohio after that date. The fee is $25 per certified copy. Contact them for current hours and to find out what forms of payment they take. Walk-in requests and mail requests are both accepted.

Between the two offices, you can get Putnam County death records covering nearly 160 years. The Probate Court handles the early period. The health department handles everything from 1908 forward. There is a small overlap around the 1908 transition date.

The Putnam County government website provides links to county departments that handle obituary and death records.

Use this site to find contact information for the Probate Court and health department.

The Putnam County Health Department website has information about ordering death certificates and other vital records.

Check the site for current fees and accepted payment methods.

Putnam County Obituary Online Search

FamilySearch has several Putnam County record collections that are free to search. Their digitized records include Putnam County death records from 1867 to 1920, death certificates from 1908 to 1995, supplements to death certificates from 1915 to 1960, records of inquests from 1895 to 1945, and coroner's inquests from 1890 to 1917. These are scanned images of the original documents.

The Ohio History Connection has a free online death certificate index for 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. If you find a match for a Putnam County death, you can order a copy of the original certificate from their archives. The Ohio History Connection also holds original certificates from 1908 through 1970.

The Ohio Genealogical Web Alliance has some Putnam County vital records online as well. The Putnam County Recorder has land records from 1830, which can sometimes help confirm family connections when you are doing obituary and genealogy research.

Putnam County Records Under Ohio Law

Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, all deaths in Putnam County must be registered with a death certificate. The funeral home files the certificate with the local registrar, who then sends a copy to the Ohio Department of Health. This process has been in place since 1908.

Death records in Ohio are public under Section 149.43 of the Revised Code. You do not have to be a family member to request a Putnam County death certificate. Anyone can get a copy by paying the $25 fee. This open access policy makes obituary research in Putnam County straightforward for genealogists, legal professionals, and family members alike.

Genealogy Research in Putnam County

Putnam County genealogy work often begins with obituaries and death records. A death certificate tells you the person's full name, date of death, cause of death, place of burial, and sometimes the names of their parents. An obituary fills in the personal side of things: surviving family, church ties, military service, and where the funeral was held. Both records are valuable.

The Putnam County Probate Court is a rich source for older records. Beyond death records, they hold estate files that can name heirs and show property. Marriage records from 1834 forward can connect family lines. FamilySearch has digitized some of these collections, so you may be able to view them online without traveling to Ottawa. For more recent obituaries, check local funeral home websites and newspaper archives. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont maintains the Ohio Obituary Index with entries from newspapers across the state.

Nearby Counties

Putnam County is in northwest Ohio. These neighboring counties may have obituary and death records for people from the area.