Hamilton County, Ohio
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Hamilton is a county in Ohio. It was formed in 1790 from the following county/ies: original. Hamilton began keeping birth records in 1863, marriage records in 1808, and death records in 1881. It began keeping land records in 1787, probate records in 1790, and court records in 1844. For more information, contact the county at 1000 Main St., Cincinnati 45202. On the attached map, Hamilton is located at G1.
For information about the state of Ohio see Ohio Family History Research.
- Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953 Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch Record Search. Records include such information as birth date of deceased, city, county, and state of death, name of spouse if married, names of parents, maiden name of mother, name of informant, if deceased was single, married, windowed or divorced, occupation of deceased
- The Hamilton County Probate Court has digitized and made available many different records types including Births (1863-1908), Marriages (1808-1983), and Deaths (1881-1908).
- The University of Cincinnati Archives has received an LSTA Grant to Digitize Cincinnati Birth and Death Records. Access to those records is expected in August 2010.
Connie Stunkel Terheiden and Kenny R. Burck, Guide to Genealogical Resources in Cincinnati & Hamilton Co., Ohio, 6th Edition(Milford, Ohio: Little Miami Publishing Co., 2009) is available from the
Hamilton County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society
In the courts outlined below, several state and federal courts are included. Depending on the time period, these courts held either original or appelate jurisdiction for Hamilton Co., Ohio.
Justice of the Peace - Township
The University of Cincinnati Archives holds township Justice of the Peace records for the following townships: Cincinnati Twp Civil Docket (1846-1900), Cincinnati Twp Criminal Dockets (1860-1913), Cincinnati Twp Apprenticeship Book (1862-1898), Delhi Twp Criminal Docket (1853-1905), Millcreek Twp Criminal Docket (1853-1863, 1881-1890), Whitewater Twp Civil Docket (1860-1876, 1910-1911), Whitewater Twp Criminal Docket (1860-1931).
Northwest Territorial Court (1787-1803)
Hamilton Co., Ohio Court of Common Pleas (1787- )/Cincinnati Municipal Court
The Hamilton County Clerk of Courts maintains the court records of Hamilton County and the Municipal court. Many of the early court records have been moved to the University of Cincinnati Archives or the Cincinnati Historical Society. The Hamilton County Courthouse has the following records available on microfilm: Naturalization Records (1850-1893), Declarations of Intent (1842-1926), Court Dockets (1884-present), Certified Judgments (1884-present), Pending Suits (1884-present), Judgments (1884-present), Law Suits and Divorces (1884-1994) and Criminal and Civil Records (1884-present). The Hamilton County Clerk of Courts website has a searchable database of cases that indexes many of these records. Early records may only contain a list of litigants. Many cases tried after 1884 involved property or estates from earlier time periods. It is worthwhile to search the records for all your ancestors.
Hamilton Co., Ohio Probate Court
- Estate settlement matters were handled by different courts in different time periods. See Probate below.
- The Hamilton County Probate Court has digitized and made available many different records including Minister's Licenses (1963-1975), and Physician Certificates (1919-1987). See also Probate and Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship.
- The University of Cincinnati Archives holds many of the county's Court of Common Pleas and Probate Court original records. For a partial list of UC Archives holdings, see A Guide to Genealogical Resources in Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio, 6th Edition or Inventory of Government Documents for Eight Counties of Southwest Ohio.
Hamilton County District Court (1851-1883)
Hamilton County Circuit Court (1883-1912)
The FHL has Hamilton County Circuit Court Records 1844-1847 with a Diary, 1856-1861 of Charles Morton as a manuscript on microfilm FHL US/CAN Film 897439 Item 2.
Ohio Supreme Court (1803-present)
Prior to 1851, the Ohio Supreme Court sessions involving Hamilton Co., Ohio cases were held and recorded in Hamilton County. Many of the records were lost due to courthouse fires. Prior to 1823, there was no provision for recording Ohio Supreme Court decisions. From 1823-1851 the court met annually in Columbus to review cases that decided questions of law - these sessions were referred to as the Supreme Court in bank. The decisions of the Supreme Court in bank were published in a series of books titled, Cases decided in the Supreme Court of Ohio in bank. The following volumes are available through Google books: Vol. 1, Dec 1823 & Dec 1824; Vol. 2, Dec. 1825. Other published sources available through Google books include: Reports of Cases at Law and in Chancery decided by the Supreme Court of Ohio 1831-1834, Condensed reports of decisions in the Supreme Court of Ohio, Volumes 6-7.
US Federal District Court (1803-present)
The U.S. Federal District Court Records from 1803-1982 are in Record Group 21 at the Chicago Branch of the NARA. The U.S. Federal District Court Records include 7 volumes of Chancery Record Books, 1869-1915. Chancery records can be rich sources of genealogical information as they include the records of disputed estate settlements. The US Federal District Court also has Naturalization Records, 1852-1966.
U.S. Federal Circuit Courts, (1807-1911)
The U.S. Circuit Court Records from 1807-1911 are in Record Group 21 at the Chicago Branch of the NARA. The U.S. Circuit Court Records include 90 volumes of Chancery Record Books, 1828-1911. Chancery records can be rich sources of genealogical information as they include the records of disputed estate settlements.
- The Hamilton County Probate Court has digitized and made available many different records types including Estates (1791-1984), Wills (1791-1973), Trusts (1791-1984), Guardianships (1791-1984) and Probate Court Journal Entries (1791-1837). Probate Court Journal Entries have been transcribed in Abstract of Book 1 and Book A, Probate Record 1791-1826; Abstract of Book 3, Probate Record 1829-1834; and Abstract of Book 4, Probate Record, 1834-1837. The original books are held by the University of Cincinnati Archives - designated as 'Original Entry Books'.
- The University of Cincinnati Archives has indexed Hamilton County Ohio Wills, 1791-1901. The indexes are available online at their website.
Societies and Libraries
P. O. Box 15865
Cincinnati, OH 45215-0865
Many indexes are available at the website.
800 Vine Street
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
- ↑ Archives and Rare Books Department, Univerity of Cincinnati, Inventory of Government Documents, Southwest Ohio.
- ↑ Terheiden and Burck, Guide.
- ↑ Terheiden and Burck, Guide
- ↑ Archives and Rare Books Department, Univerity of Cincinnati, Inventory of Government Documents for Eight Counties of Southwest Ohio, revised edition (Cincinnati, Ohio: University of Cincinnati, 1993).
- ↑ Ohio. Supreme Court. Ohio Supreme Court Reports of Cases Argued and Decided in the Supreme Court of Ohio, Vol. 1, 1852-1853 (Columbus, Ohio: Osgood and Blake, 1853).
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