Wood County Obituary Search

Wood County obituary and death records are managed by the county health department, the probate court, and several local organizations in Bowling Green. Bowling Green is the county seat and home to Bowling Green State University, whose Center for Archival Collections is a major genealogy resource for northwest Ohio. The probate court has some of the lowest copy fees in the state, and the Wood County Genealogical Society and Historical Center add more depth to local obituary research. If you are looking for a death record or obituary for someone who lived in Wood County, there are more local resources here than in most Ohio counties of this size.

Wood County Probate Court Obituary Records

The Wood County Probate Court is at One Courthouse Square in Bowling Green. They hold birth and death records from 1867 to 1908, marriage records from 1820 to the present, and probate records from 1820 to the present. What makes Wood County stand out is their fee structure. Certified copies cost just $4.50 per certificate, and uncertified copies are $0.10 per page. Marriage certified copies are only $2.00. These are some of the lowest vital record fees in Ohio.

The probate court's death registers from 1867 to 1908 are handwritten ledgers with names, dates, and basic death details. The court also keeps wills, estate files, and guardianship records that can contain obituary-type information. Estate papers often list surviving family, property, and the date and circumstances of death. FamilySearch has Wood County birth and death records from 1894 to 1908, death certificates from 1909 to 1997, and coroner's inquests from 1888 to 1902 available for free online.

Wood County Health Department Death Records

The Wood County Health Department has birth and death records from 1908 to the present. Certified copies from the health department cost about $25.00 each. Contact them for current office hours and procedures. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, local health departments serve as registrars for vital events in their area.

The health department is the official source for recent Wood County death records. If you need a certified copy for legal purposes like settling an estate or filing an insurance claim, this is where to get it. For older records or research purposes, the probate court's lower fees make it a better option when you do not need a certified copy.

Wood County Obituary Archives and Libraries

The Center for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University is one of the top genealogy resources in northwest Ohio. They hold county records from across the region, Wood County cemetery inscriptions, the Ohio Obituary Index, and original infirmary records. If you are doing serious obituary research in Wood County, this collection is worth a visit.

The Wood County District Public Library also has a strong archive with African American heritage collections, census records, church records, vital records, military records, and marriage records. Their holdings give you access to records that can fill gaps in the official death records. The Wood County Genealogical Society, based at P.O. Box 722 in Bowling Green, publishes cemetery inscription books, birth and death compilations, wills and abstracts, and family histories. The Wood County Historical Center and Museum has photographs, scrapbooks, expense ledgers, infirmary accident books, and family history records that can help with genealogy and obituary research.

Ohio State Obituary Search

The Ohio Department of Health keeps death records from 1971 to now. The state fee is $21.50. The Ohio Death Record Index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970 for free. The Ohio History Connection holds original certificates from 1908 through 1970.

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library has the Ohio Obituary Index with over 3.7 million entries. If a Wood County newspaper ran an obituary, the index likely has it. Between the BGSU archives, the local genealogical society, and the state-level tools, Wood County has an unusually deep set of resources for obituary research.

Wood County Obituary Record Sources

The Wood County government website provides access to county offices and services for vital records and obituary-related requests.

From this site you can find the probate court, health department, and other Wood County offices that handle death record access and genealogy research.

Getting Wood County Death Records

Where to search for a Wood County death record depends on when the person died and what type of copy you need. The probate court has the cheapest fees if you just need a research copy.

• Deaths 1971 to present: Wood County Health Department or Ohio Department of Health ($21.50 to $25.00)
• Deaths 1908 to 1970: Ohio History Connection or FamilySearch (death certificates 1909-1997)
• Deaths 1867 to 1908: Wood County Probate Court ($4.50 certified, $0.10 uncertified)
• Newspaper obituaries: Ohio Obituary Index or BGSU Center for Archival Collections
• Cemetery records: Wood County Genealogical Society publications

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

Cities in Wood County

Wood County includes the city of Findlay nearby. The county-level offices in Bowling Green handle death records for communities throughout the area.

Nearby Counties

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