Stark County Obituary Search

Stark County obituary and death records are managed by the probate court, local health offices, and at the state level in Columbus. Canton serves as the county seat and is the main place to start your search for death records and obituaries. The Stark County Probate Court Records Center holds some of the oldest vital records in the county. With a population of over 370,000, Stark County is one of the larger counties in Ohio, and its records are well organized and accessible. Online databases from the Ohio History Connection and FamilySearch give you ways to search from home for both death certificates and newspaper obituaries.

Stark County Probate Court Obituary Records

The Stark County Probate Court Records Center is your main source for historical death records. Call (330) 451-7753 to reach the records center. They are open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The court holds original death records from 1867 to 1908 in five volumes, plus birth records from 1867 to 1908 in eight volumes.

The probate court also keeps marriage records from 1809 to the present, along with wills, estate files, and guardianship records. Estate papers are a useful source for obituary-type details in Stark County since they sometimes list surviving family members, property, and the date of death. Some of the older Stark County probate court records have been stored at the University of Akron Archival Services at the Polsky Building, 225 South Main Street in Akron. You can reach them at (330) 972-7670 or email archives@uakron.edu if you need access to those historical records.

Note: Some Stark County probate records are housed at the University of Akron rather than at the courthouse in Canton.

Stark County Death Certificate Records

The Stark County Health Department handles death certificates for deaths that took place in the county from December 1908 to the present. Certified copies cost about $25.00 each. You can get them in person during regular business hours. Bring a valid photo ID with you when you go.

Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, local health departments serve as registrars for vital events in their area. This makes the Stark County health office the official source for recent death records. If you cannot visit in person, many Ohio health departments allow you to order through VitalChek online. For deaths between 1908 and about 1953, you may also find records through the Ohio History Connection or on FamilySearch.

Ohio State Obituary Resources

The Ohio Department of Health in Columbus keeps death records from 1971 to the present. The state fee is $21.50. The Ohio History Connection archives hold original death certificates from 1908 through 1970. The Ohio Death Record Index lets you search online for free and covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970.

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library runs the Ohio Obituary Index with over 3.7 million newspaper obituary entries. If a Stark County newspaper ran an obituary, it is likely in their index. The Stark County District Library also has genealogy resources and local newspaper archives that can help you find obituary notices for Canton and the surrounding area.

Stark County Obituary Genealogy Research

The Stark County District Library has archives and genealogy resources that include local newspaper collections. Obituaries published in the Canton Repository and other area papers can often be found through the library's microfilm or digital collections. For Stark County obituary research, the library is a good complement to the official records at the health department and probate court.

The Ohio History Connection has indexed Stark County probate court records, which means you can search for some of the oldest death records in the county through their online tools. FamilySearch also has Stark County vital records available for free, though some records may only be viewable at a FamilySearch Center or affiliate library. Cemetery records from across the county can confirm death dates and family connections that obituaries might leave out.

Stark County Obituary Record Sources

The Stark County government website provides access to court records, vital statistics, and other county services relevant to obituary research.

From here you can find links to the probate court records center and other Stark County offices that handle death records.

Getting Stark County Death Records

Where to look for a Stark County death record depends on when the person died. For recent deaths, go to the health department. For mid-century records, check the Ohio History Connection. For anything before 1908, the probate court has the original registers. Some older records may be at the University of Akron archives.

• Deaths 1971 to present: Stark County Health Department or Ohio Department of Health ($21.50 to $25.00)
• Deaths 1908 to 1970: Ohio History Connection archives in Columbus
• Deaths 1867 to 1908: Stark County Probate Court (5 volumes of death records)
• Newspaper obituaries: Ohio Obituary Index or Stark County District Library
• Historical records: University of Akron Archival Services

Section 3705.29 of the Ohio Revised Code covers penalties for false statements on vital record forms. Social Security numbers are blacked out on death certificates for five years after death. Death records over 50 years old may be transferred to the Ohio History Connection under state law.

Cities in Stark County

Stark County includes the city of Canton, which is the county seat and largest city in the county. If you are searching for obituary records for someone in Canton, the county-level offices listed above handle those records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Stark County. Check neighboring county records if your search leads near a county line.