Washington County Obituary Lookup

Washington County obituary and death records are kept by the county health department, the probate court, and state offices in Columbus. Marietta serves as the county seat and is the oldest permanent settlement in Ohio, founded in 1788. That long history means Washington County has some of the deepest genealogy and obituary records in the state. The probate court holds death registers from 1867 to 1908, and the Ohio History Connection has indexed Washington County probate court records. FamilySearch also has a strong collection of Washington County records. The Ohio Death Record Index and the Ohio Obituary Index let you search online for free from anywhere.

Washington County Death Certificate Records

The Washington County Health Department handles death certificates for deaths in the county from December 1908 to the present. Certified copies cost about $25.00 each. You can visit in person with a photo ID during regular business hours.

Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, local health departments serve as registrars for vital events in their area. The Washington County Health Department is the official source for recent death records and obituary-related vital records. For older records before 1908, contact the probate court. The health department can also issue birth certificates for any Ohio county, which is useful if you need multiple vital records at once for genealogy purposes.

Washington County Probate Court Obituary Records

The Washington County Probate Court holds birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. These are the oldest official death records in the county, though given Washington County's founding in 1788, there are other historical records that predate the vital registration system. The court also keeps marriage records, wills, estate files, and guardianship records.

The Ohio History Connection has indexed Washington County probate court records, which means you can search for these older death records through their online system. This gives Washington County an advantage over some other Ohio counties where probate records have not been indexed. Estate papers are a good source for obituary-type information since they list surviving family, property details, and the circumstances around a person's death. FamilySearch has Washington County family bible records, probate records from 1852 to 1953, and administrators, executors, and guardians records from 1803 to 1924 available for free online viewing.

Ohio Obituary Search Tools

The Ohio Department of Health in Columbus keeps death records from 1971 to now. The fee is $21.50 per record as set by Section 3705.24 of the Ohio Revised Code. The Ohio Death Record Index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970 and is free to search.

The Ohio History Connection archives have original death certificates from 1908 through 1970. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library runs the Ohio Obituary Index with over 3.7 million newspaper entries going back to the 1810s. If a Washington County newspaper published an obituary, the index likely has it.

Washington County Obituary Genealogy Sources

FamilySearch has a solid collection for Washington County. They hold family bible records, probate records from 1852 to 1953, and administrators, executors, and guardians records from 1803 to 1924. These records are available for free online with a registered account. The administrators and executors records are especially useful for obituary research since they document estate proceedings that often mention the date and cause of death.

Washington County's library system in Marietta has local history and genealogy collections with newspapers on microfilm. The Marietta Register and other local papers covered death notices for communities throughout the county. Cemetery records are another good resource, with many burial sites in Washington County having markers that date back to the late 1700s given the county's status as Ohio's oldest settlement. These records can confirm death dates and family connections that official registers and newspaper obituaries might miss.

Washington County Obituary Record Sources

The Washington County Probate Court records page shows how to access historical vital records, estate files, and other probate records in Washington County.

This page has links to the court's record collections and explains how to request copies of older Washington County death records.

How to Get Washington County Death Records

Where to look for a Washington County death record depends on when the person died. Recent records are at the health department. Older records are at the probate court or the Ohio History Connection.

• Deaths 1971 to present: Washington 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: Washington County Probate Court (indexed at Ohio History Connection)
• Newspaper obituaries: Ohio Obituary Index at the Hayes Presidential Library
• Family records: FamilySearch (bible records, probate records, free online)

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 Ohio law. Be truthful on all request forms for Washington County obituary and death records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Washington County. Check the neighboring county records if the person lived near a county line.