Franklin County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Franklin County, Ohio ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Franklin County was named after Benjamin Franklin. the county is located in the central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Franklin County Government Center
373 South High Street, 23rd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-525-3600
Franklin County Website
Probate Court has birth and death records before 1908, marriage and probate records;
Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1803;
County Auditor has land records[4]
Franklin County, Ohio Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1908 | 1803 | 1908 | 1803 | 1800 | 1805 | 1820 |
Record Loss
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The 1820 US Federal Census is missing for Franklin County. 1879 A courthouse fire may have damaged or destroyed some records. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[8]
| Cities | ||
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
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| Townships | ||
History Timeline
- Created just 2 months after Ohio became a state.
- Originally extended all the way to Lake Erie before the divisions.
- Parts set off in a series of divisions:
- -20 February 1805: Champaign
- -10 February 1808: Delaware
- -12 January 1810: Pickaway
- -16 February 1810: Madison
- -10 January 1820: Union
Resources
Bible Records
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
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Online Resources
- 1814-Onward Ohio, Franklin, Columbus Burials at MyHeritage — index ($)
- Green Lawn Cemetery Digital Collection at Columbus Metropolitan Library. Includes individual interment cards.
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1810 | 3,486 | — |
| 1820 | 10,292 | 195.2% |
| 1830 | 14,741 | 43.2% |
| 1840 | 25,049 | 69.9% |
| 1850 | 42,909 | 71.3% |
| 1860 | 50,361 | 17.4% |
| 1870 | 63,019 | 25.1% |
| 1880 | 86,797 | 37.7% |
| 1890 | 124,087 | 43.0% |
| 1900 | 164,460 | 32.5% |
| 1910 | 221,567 | 34.7% |
| 1920 | 283,951 | 28.2% |
| 1930 | 361,055 | 27.2% |
| 1940 | 388,712 | 7.7% |
| 1950 | 503,410 | 29.5% |
| 1960 | 682,962 | 35.7% |
| 1970 | 833,249 | 22.0% |
| 1980 | 869,132 | 4.3% |
| 1990 | 961,437 | 10.6% |
| 2000 | 1,068,978 | 11.2% |
| 2010 | 1,163,414 | 8.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Ohio denominations, see Ohio Church Records.
- 1765-1947 Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- FamilySearch Places
Lutheran
Christ Lutheran Church, Columbus
- Records of Christ Lutheran Church, Columbus, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
Gahanna
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Gahanna, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
Genealogies
Guardianship
- 1806-1919 Index to Guardians and Wards, 1806-1919(*); Probate Court, Franklin County at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1849-1895 Guardian Bonds, 1849-1895(*); Probate Court, Franklin County at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1852-1901 Franklin County, Ohio, Adoptions, 1852-1901, by W. Louis Phillips. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc., 1988. FS Catalog book 977.156 P2p
Land and Property Records
After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and are where records are currently housed. More information about why to use land records and what information land records includes can be found on the Ohio Land and Property Wiki page.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1790-1907 Land Records at OHGenWeb Archives
- Deeds at OHGenWeb Archives
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for this county. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Ohio Local Histories.
- Martin, William T.; History of Franklin County: a collection of reminiscences of the early settlement of the county… (Columbus, Ohio: Follett, Foster, 1858) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archives.
- Taylor, William Alexander; Centennial history of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio (Chicago, Illinois: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1909) Volume 1 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archives; Volume 2 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books.
- Moore, Opha; History of Franklin County, Ohio (Topeka [Kansas]: Historical Pub. Co., 1930) Volume 1 online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume 2 online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume 3 online at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- 1796 History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio (Portland, Indiana: Williams Bros., 1880) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- My History: Extensive digitized collection from Columbus Metropolitan Library. Contains Columbus and Franklin County history, photographs, documents, maps, and artifacts.
Migration
Military Records
- 1888-1919 Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Civil War
Civil War service men from Franklin County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Franklin County.
- - 1st Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, Companies F and K
- - 1st Regiment, Ohio Heavy Artillery, Company C
- - 113th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies B, C, H, and I
- Franklin County, Ohio Civil War Military Roster. (Austin, Minnesota : Ohio Genealogy Center, c1984). FS Catalog book 977.156 M2f
- Histories of the large companies from Franklin County can be found in William Brothers, History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers 1880. (Indiana: Unigraphic, 1974). On line at: FamilySearch Digital Library
World War I
- 1914-1919 Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1914-1918 Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1916-1920 Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1977 Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Newspapers
Franklin County newspapers often contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
- For more online Ohio newspapers index & images, see Ohio Newspapers.
- 1793-late 1900s Newspapers at Ohio History Connection — Select county.
- 1793-2009 Ohio Newspapers, 1793-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1866-1867 Deaths from the Ohio State Journal, 1866-1867 at OHGenWeb
- 2005 Arlington News at in Google News Archive
- Newspaper Articles at OHGenWeb Archives
- 1800s-Current Ohio, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- 1657-Onward Ohio Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1931-1997 Columbus News Index Obituary Index at Columbus Metropolitan Library.
Other Records
- My History at Columbus Metropolitan Library. Extensive digitized collection; contains Columbus and Franklin County history, photographs, documents, maps, and artifacts.
- MLS Real Estate Cards 1950-1970 at Columbus Metropolitan Library. Photographic collection of 190,000 cards of Central Ohio houses and businesses; contains property description and history.
Periodicals
Probate Records
From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. After 1852, records are held by the Franklin County Probate Court. See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1786-1998 Ohio, Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry ($) — index & images.
- 1789-1996 Ohio Probate Records, 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — How to Use this Collection.
- Wills at OHGenWeb Archives
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Ohio tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1800-1950 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Marriages were usually recorded from the formation of the county and are held at the office of the County Probate Court. Divorce records are located with the county Clerk of Courts.
Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the County Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954, while the Ohio History Connection houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.
Birth
- 1765-1947 Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1841-2003 Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry ($) — Index
- 1918-1953 Ohio, Stillbirths, 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)
Marriage
- 1789-2013 Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1789-Onward Ohio Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1800-1942 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1800-1958 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- Ohio, Franklin County Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1765-1947 Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1814-Onward Ohio, Franklin, Columbus Burials at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1833-1967 Ohio, Church and Civil Deaths, 1833-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1840-2001 Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1908-1953 Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 at FamilySearch – How to Use this Collection
- 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1918-1953 Ohio, Stillbirths, 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Divorce
- 1962-2007 Ohio. Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry ($)
Voting Records
- 1900-Onward Ohio, Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Franklin County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Columbus Ohio FamilySearch Center
- Columbus Ohio North FamilySearch Center
- Columbus Ohio South FamilySearch Center
- New Albany Ohio FamilySearch Center
- Columbus Metropolitan Library - an affiliate library
- Marysville Public Library - an affiliate library
- Worthington Libraries - multiple locations - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Franklin County. For state-wide library facilities, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Local History & Genealogy, 3rd floor
Main Library
96 S Grant Ave
Columbus, OH 43215-4781
Phone: 614-645-2275
Website
Ohio History Connection Archives & Library (State Archives)
Ohio History Center
800 E 17th Ave
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: 614-297-2300 / 800-686-6124
Website
State Library of Ohio
Materials have moved to the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
Bexley Public Library
2411 E Main St
Bexley, OH 43209-2498
Phone: 614-231-9709
Website
Grandview Heights Public Library
1685 W First Ave
Grandview Heights, OH 43212
Phone: 614-486-2951
Website
Southwest Public Libraries
3959 Broadway
Grove City, OH 43123-2699
Phone: 614-875-6716 x133 (Office)
Website
Upper Arlington Public Library
2800 Tremont Rd
Upper Arlington, OH 43221-3199
Phone: 614-486-9621
Website
Westerville Public Library
126 S State St
Westerville, OH 43081-2095
Phone: 614-882-7277
Website
Worthington Libraries
820 High St
Worthington, OH 43085-4108
Phone: 614-807-2620
Email: ask@worthingtonlibraries.org
Website
Museums
Ohio History Connection
800 E 17th Ave
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: 800-686-6124
Website
Grove City Welcome Center & Museum
3378-B Park St
Grove City, OH 43123
Phone: 614-277-3061
Email:grovecityohhistory@gmail.com
Website
Hanby House
Westerville Historical Society
PO Box 1063
Westerville, OH 43086
Phone: 614-891-6289 / 800-600-6843
Email:HanbyHouse@WestervilleHistory.org
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Franklin County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Ohio Societies.
Columbus Historical Society
717 W Town St
Columbus, OH 43222
Email:info@columbushistory.org
Website
The Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society
96 S Grant Ave
Columbus, OH 43215-4702
Phone: 614-849-1239
Email: TFCGHS@gmail.com
Website
The Ohio Genealogical Society
611 State Route 97 West
Bellville, OH 44813
Phone: 419-886-1903
Website
Ohio History Connection
800 E 17th Ave
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: 614-297-2300 / 800-686-6124
Email: info@ohiohistory.org
Website
Websites
- Custom Browse of Historical Collections at Ohio Memory — Use map or alpha bar to select county or place, then browse search options in left sidebar.
- Ohio Genealogical Society ($) — online databases
- Ohio GenWeb Project
- Franklin County OH Genealogy at LDSGenealogy
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Franklin County.
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Franklin County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_County,_Ohio, accessed 12 November 2018.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/franklin/ accessed 2/16/2017
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Franklin County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_County,_Ohio, accessed 12 November 2018.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Franklin County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_County,_Ohio, accessed 12 November 2018.