Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Vital Records

Hatch, Patch, and Dispatch--Birth Marriage and Death--the three major records in the genealogist's bag of tricks. Un-Patches (Divorces) add to the family data.

	Where to Locate Records for Lake County A myriad of resources and places to write for court, vital, and other records. NOTE: As of May 2017, the Lake County General Health District has relocated to 5966 Heisley Rd, Mentor, OH 44060. (off-site)
	Where to Locate Records for Geauga County A myriad of court, vital, deed, and other records at the Geauga County Archives with links for others. (off-site)
	Probate Births 1867-1908 A complete transcription of the actual records. 10,349 records are here.
	Delayed and Corrected Births 1855-2000 Index Probate records for those needing to correct their birth record or certificate or have an omitted original birth certificate recorded include more information than a regular birth certificate. Over 4000 records are indexed here.
	Birth Notices from Painesville Telegraph 1881-1900 Over 200 births are indexed here, thanks to Janet Kucera.
	Perry Probate Births An alphabetized transcription of birth records for the years 1867 to 1909 for Perry families, transcribed by Deb Breniser (off-site)
	Miscellaneous Non-Probate Births 1867-1908 A listing of birth certificates originating from town halls and health departments prior to 1909.
	Lake County Marriage Index 1985-current This index is of the Lake County Probate Court cases, including the Marriage Department. Gives Bride, Groom, and file date, which could be the marriage date, the application date, the return date or the date entered in database. (off-site)
	Lake County Marriage Index 1840-1915 This index includes marriages from Vol. A-K, and 12-14 and part of 15. Thanks to Ernest L & Jeanette C. Towne who did much of this in 1978 and volunteers who retyped it and indexed the early and later volumes. Over 30,000 entries are found here.

Lake County Marriages 1840 to 1955 Marriage records with images are now available at FamilySearch.org. from 1840 to ca 1854 the application (intended marriage) is in a separate book from the return. Both are online. these records do not seem to be browseable except at a Family History Center. This is from the "old" catalog. (off-site)
	Marriages in the Probate Court, 1840-2018 with indexes and Images
A 2025 update: Unfortunately images from early 1955 to current appear to have been removed from the catalog listing labeled "Marriages." Most of the choices under Mariages are "Authored," so not original records. There are two links under Vital Records. for marriages. The first is "Marriages 1840-2018." This link actually has volumes A-16 (1840-1923), and vol. 26 (1952-1955). Most of the marriage records have an index in the front of each book. All of these volumes are now in the full-text search on FamilySearch./
The second link, "Ohio, Lake County Vital Records" has no author and no description. It has about 256 volumes, but are badly out of order. The "missing" volumes are here. Additionally, the numbering starts over with 1 in 2006 with a change of forms in loose-leaf books. There is another new set of numbers as well. The last 16 links are index books, as follows: Vol. 4 A to Z 1961-68 Vol. 13 1989-90 Vol. 5 1965-72 -Vol. 6 1973 Vol 8 1979-80 Vol 9 1981-82 Vol. 10 1983-94 Vol 11 1985-96 Vol 12 1987-88 Vol 14 1991-92 Vol 15 1993-94 Vol 16 1995-96 Vol. 7 1976-78 Vol 3 1946-60, but no images offered Vol 2 1916-45, no images Vol 1 1840-1915 no images
	Index to Marriages in the Willoughby Independent, 1879-1884 Marriage mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Index to Marriages in the Willoughby Independent, 1885-1888 Marriage mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Cuyahoga County Probate and Marriage Index 1810 to Current This includes Willoughby Township in Lake County until 1840 when it splits off from Cuyahoga. With this, take the volume and page to this site for approximate time period. (off-site)
	Marriage records (Cuyahoga County, Ohio), 1810-1941; indexes, 1810-1952 Marriage records with images are now available at FamilySearch.org. This includes Willoughby Township in Lake County until 1840 when it splits off from Cuyahoga. Look these up under Search > Catalog, This is the old catalog, and more may be found under images. They were imaged to 2011. (off-site)
	Geauga County Marriages 1806-1953 Marriage records with images are now available at FamilySearch.org. This includes most of the current Lake County until 1840 when it split off from Geauga. (off-site)
	Geauga County Vital Records Indexes Marriage records 1806-1919, Marriage Licenses 1823-1865, Births and Deaths 1867-1908, Cemeteries and much more created by Geauga County Genealogical Society are on this site. This includes most of the current Lake County until 1840 when it splits off from Geauga. (off-site)
	Trumbull County Marriages 1800-1803 A listing of the marriages from Deed volume A, the earliest marriages in the Western Reserve. Thanks to Stephanie Ebel. Trumbull Marriages 1803-1953 are on FamilySearch with images. (off-site)
	Lake County Marriage Record Volumes A listing of the marriage volumes and the years they cover from 1840 to 1955 submitted by Becky Falin.
	"Early Mormon Vital Records" 1833 - 1841 Marriages and Deaths abstracted from "Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine" from original Mormon newspapers of the day.
	Probate Deaths 1867-1908 A complete transcription of the actual records. Over 8000 records are here.
	Miscellaneous Non-probate Deaths 1867-1908 A listing of death certificates originating from town halls and health departments prior to 1909.
	Index to Deaths in the Painesville Telegraph, 1862-70 Marriage mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Perry Probate Deaths An alphabetized transcription of death records for the years 1867 to 1909 for Perry families, transcribed by Deb Breniser (off-site)
	Mortuary Report for Willoughby Twp., 1897 From the Willoughby Independent, 33 adult deaths during 1897. Some are in the Probate Death Records, some are not. Others are missing from this list. Transcribed by Cynthia Turk.
	Index to Deaths in the Painesville Telegraph, 1862-70 Marriage mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins. New in 2015!
	Index to Deaths in the Willoughby Independent, 1879-1884 Death mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins. New in 2015!
	Index to Deaths in the Willoughby Independent, 1885-1888 Death mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins. New in 2015!
	Ohio Department of Health Vital Records Mostly birth and death certificates 1908-current, state copies. Forms to order, etc. (off-site)
	Social Security Death Index A listing of deaths mostly from 1962 to current. Includes where card issued, birth/death dates, last place of residence. Or try www.stevemorse.org for more advanced searching of other (mostly pay) sites (off-site)
	Ohio Death Certificate Index and Images 1908-1953 This site requires free registration. Excellent index includes parents, spouse, etc. (off-site)
	Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1944 and 1954-1963 Ohio Historical Society's Index of death records online. Includes stillbirths 1913-1935 and 1942-1945 and other items. Try the advanced search. (off-site)
	Index to Coroner Inquests 1914-1940 Record of Inquests held by Coroners and Justices of the Peace in Lake County, Ohio, indexed by Margaret Frank.
	Geauga Divorces 1806-1839 An abstract of the Divorce procedings of the Ohio Supreme Court at Geauga County, mostly residents of what is now Lake County. Abstracted by Frances Slack, retyped by Cynthia Turk
	Index to Divorces in the Painesville Telegraph This index from Lake County Historical Society covers 1822-1849 and some up to 1898.
	Index to Divorces in the Painesville Telegraph, 1862-70 Divorce mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Index to Divorces in the Willoughby Independent, 1879-1884 Divorce mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Index to Divorces in the Willoughby Independent, 1885-1888 Divorce mentions in this newspaper were abstracted and indexed by Judy Stebbins.
	Index to Divorces in Chancery Court Vol. A-1/2 of D 1840-1852 Earliest County divorces of 45 couples with description, history and an example.
	Divorce Proceedings in Common Pleas Journal J This court volume covers 1878-Feb 1881 and lists over 60 couples applying for divorces.

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Last updated 20 December 2025