Cuyahoga County OHGenWeb

Vital Records

Here we will share sites to find indexes and images of vital records of Cuyahoga County residents. Additionally, some other items like how to find divorces, coroner records, and delayed birth records. Some records must still be obtained the old fashioned way.

BIRTHS

Ohio birth records were mandated several times in history but the law was not enforced, and spotty records resulted until 1867 when records were required to be kept by the clerk of Probate Court. These records, still a bit inconsistent early on, are found at the court, and for Cuyahoga County, at the County Archives. The city of Cleveland also had Return of Birth records, made out by the midwife or physician at the time of the birth and turned in to the health department. These little slips are the most original primary birth records available for the time period. From these, a register was created, many of which are typed. The county archives has all these registers and the returns of birth as well. They are on microfilm and have been put on FamilySearch.

On December 20, 1908 these recordings became the duty of the health departments. Certificates were done where the birth occurred and there are multiple health departments in the county. A copy was then made for the state Department of Health.

Delayed and Corrected births are done in the Probate Court. A large number of these were done during World War II when people working in industries supplying the military and war effort needed security clearance and a birth certificate was required. Applications were often accompanied by affidavits from midwives or relatives who knew of the person's birth.

Births Before December 20, 1908

• "Ohio, County Births 1841-2003" searchable at FamilySearch appears to include the Return of Births 1871-1908 (the little slips), The Probate Records of Birth 1867-1908, the City of Cleveland Records of Birth , and all the indexes for them. The images of all of these are also here.
  • You can browse the images here. These are the records that are housed at the Cuyahoga County Archives.
  • Birth Index 1849-1910 as found in the Cuyahoga County Archives on FamilySearch (has images) https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/553493?availability=Family%20History%20Library
  • Births Prior to 1909 in Lakewood, Ohio on Cuyahoga County, Ohio Genealogy and History, with thanks to Greater Cleveland Genealogical Society.
  • Note for those researching adopted individuals - If you have a birth date for the individual who was put up for adoption, you can browse through the birth returns for that date and pay close attention as you just click through the returns for that entire date. Sometimes, at the end of the returns that have names on them, there are birth returns that have no name at all. I found the birth record of one of my adopted out relatives using this method.
• "Ohio, Births and Christenings, 1821-1962" on FamilySearch includes "Return of a Birth 1871-1908 for Cleveland, Ohio." These are the city slips, indexed by LDS extractors. It also includes the County Record of Births 1867-1908. No images are available here. It is searchable and browseable. This is a good second indexing option.
• The Cuyahoga County Archives - the images that appear at the site above are housed at the Cuyahoga County Archive if you'd prefer to visit in person. Or, you can email them to receive copies as well.
• Fold3 (Paid Site) "Cuyahoga County Birth Returns 1849-1908" on Fold3.

  *** FREE - If you have a Cuyahoga County Public Library Card. Go to: https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/Research/Genealogy.aspx and click on Fold3 under Suggested Resources, enter your library card number and password. Once you are on the Fold 3 page, on the far right click Browse and then choose Vital Records, then Cuyahoga County Birth Returns, then choose a year, and then the letter of the last name you are interested in.

• "Index to Births for 1867-1873, 1881-1884 and 1887-1889" (Volumes 1, 5, and 8). This index was done by Cuyahoga County Archives volunteers, Marge Doaks and Frank Muraski.

  Births After December 20, 1908

• Ohio Department of Health
  Revenue Room
  246 North High Street
  P.O. Box 15098
  Columbus, OH 43215-0098
  Allow 4-6 weeks upon receipt
  Checks payable to "Treasury, State of Ohio" for $21.50 for each birth certificate. Uncertified copies no longer available. SASE required.
• Certificates of births/deaths/stillbirths in Ohio 1918-1953 from the Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics on FamilySearch (has images): https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1233970?availability=Family%20History%20Library
• Also, Ohio birth certificates 1909-PRESENT can be obtained from any health department in Ohio. Ask for the original, long, genealogy form rather than the transcribed computerized version. Some health departments charge lower cost than others, but none are less than $21.50 by law. Cleveland charges $25 plus an additional fee for credit card use. Cleveland also requires you to have the exact birth date, place, and name or they will not issue it. They also require a photo ID in person. You can make a research appointment at the location in City Hall in downtown Cleveland from 10 a.m. to 12:00 on weekdays and do the searching yourself.

  Births 1860-1908

• Index to "Cleveland Birth Affidavits and Corrections 1860-1908" was done by Sara McGuire following digitization of the records at the Cuyahoga County Archives.
• "Cleveland Birth Affidavits and Corrections 1860-1908" on FamilySearch under Ohio, Cuyahoga County Records are browseable, but the index above is not yet posted there.
• Birth Corrections and Affidavits to current should be at Probate Court.

MARRIAGES

Marriage records span the entire existence of the county, 1810 to current. Applications and Returns were often done in two different places, so be sure to get both. The application had the most information, but the return is the legal statement of the actual marriage. Marriage by banns means that there was no application, the church posted or announced three times the intention of the couple and if no objection, performed the ceremony and reported it to the court. These are in separate volumes. The marriage department, although it appears separate, is technically part of Probate Court in Ohio. Originals to volume 200 are at Cuyahoga County Archives.
• "Marriage records (Cuyahoga County, Ohio), 1810-1941; indexes, 1810-1952" also has banns 1942-1972.
• "Ohio, Cuyahoga County, marriage records, 1942-1973" actually now runs October 1941 to 2011.
• License Index 1829-1875 as found in the Cuyahoga County Archive on FamilySearch (has images)
• "Applications for marriage licenses, 1829-1875" includes indexes.
• "Ohio, Marriages 1800-1958" (Volumes 1-566) index only on FamilySearch.
• "Ohio, County Marriages 1789-1994" (Volumes 1-200) Index and images on FamilySearch.
• Cuyahoga County Marriage Index Use the Search by Person section. You can search by last name only, or first and last name. The last name field must contain at least two letters. If you wish to limit your search to females or males only, click on "party role" and choose bride or groom. Under "case category" choose Marriage. When the results appear, you will have to click on each name to see more information about who that person married and the date. Disregard any dates that you see before 1998, as all records before 1998 appear to have the same date of 1900, and thus the date is not helpful or correct. However, the dates of marriage after 1998 are correct.
  If you see a date of 1900 and want to learn the estimated date, make note of the VOLUME and PAGE NUMBER that appears in the individual record. Go to "Marriage Index Years" to see a list of the volume numbers and what years that volume covers.
• Copies of marriage for Volumes 1-200 are at the Cuyahoga County Archives. Email them at archive@cuyahogacounty.us and provide the names of the bride and groom, the volume and page number, and include your mailing address. There is no charge for a small numbers of copies.
• Copies of marriages for Volumes higher than 200 are at the Marriage License Bureau in the Old Courthouse on Lakeside Avenue.
  Cuyahoga County - Probate Court
  Marriage License Bureau
  County Courthouse
  1 Lakeside Ave., N.W., Rm. 146
  Cleveland, OH 44114
  216-443-8920
  
• They also have an index at the Marriage License Bureau for 1810 to the present available on microfiche. There is one microfiche viewer for the marriage indexes (one by husband's name and the other by wife's name. Certified copies are $1 each for the short form and $2 each for the long form (preferred). Uncertified long form copies are 25 cents each. They do not accept checks so send a money order or go in person and pay cash. Include a SASE if ordering by mail.
• Once you have the marriage record, you will see the name of the Pastor that performed the ceremony. Go to "Cleveland Pastors and their Churches" to look up the pastor's name and see at which church he served.
• Another place to find the religious officiant is Don O'Mally's "Cleveland Clergy"
• Western Reserve Historical Society has microfilm of marriages through 1960.
• Fairview Park Library has microfilm of marriages for Volume 1-200. (through October 1949)
• A small, increasing database of abstracted marriage records was submitted by Jeanette Harper, now off-site.
  Cuyahoga Marriages Surnames A-G
  Cuyahoga Marriages Surnames H-P
  Cuyahoga Marriages Surnames Q-Z

DEATHS

Death records in Ohio were mandated several times in history, but records were very spotty. They improved after the 1867 law, but were still a bit inconsistent. The Probate Court was mandated to keep these records. In addition, in Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland kept records from 1840 to 1908.

On 20 December 1908 the Department of Vital Statistics of the Health Department was mandated to keep death certificates. These are created in the health department of the jurisdiction where the death occurred. There are several departments in Cuyahoga County, but many have now consolidated with the City of Cleveland.

Copies of the local certificates were made and submitted to the Ohio Department of Health. Those created from 1908 to 1964 were sent to the Ohio Historical Society.

Stillborn death certificates are separate from regular death certificates and at one point were combined with the birth certificates. Others have no birth certificate. Separate stillborn death certificates are available from December 20, 1908 to 1935 and 1942-1946.

Deaths Before December 20, 1908