Springfield Death Index

Springfield death index records are managed by the Clark County Combined Health District, which serves as the vital records office for the Springfield area. As the county seat of Clark County, Springfield is where all county offices are located, making record requests convenient for local residents. You can search the free Ohio death index online for entries from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. For certified copies of death certificates from 1908 forward, the Clark County health district handles these requests at $24 per copy. Historical records from the 1880s are also available through the local heritage center.

Clark County Death Records for Springfield

Springfield does not issue death certificates on its own. Clark County handles all death registration through the Clark County Combined Health District. The CCCHD birth and death records page has full details on how to request copies. They maintain death certificates from December 20, 1908 to the present for all of Clark County, including Springfield.

The fee is $24 per certified copy. That is a bit lower than the $25 charged in many other Ohio counties. Walk-in service is available at the Clark County Combined Health District office in Springfield during regular business hours. Bring the full name of the deceased and the date of death. Staff can search the records and have copies ready during your visit. They accept cash, check, and money order. For mail requests, include a written request with the same details plus your contact info and payment.

The screenshot below shows the Clark County Combined Health District where Springfield death certificates are processed.

Under ORC Title 37, death certificates in Ohio are public records. Anyone can request a copy. Social security numbers are redacted on recent records unless you qualify as an authorized requester.

Springfield Death Index Before 1908

The Springfield-Clark County Heritage Center has death records from 1888 to 1908, covering a period before the state registration system was fully in place. These are some of the earliest local death records available for the Springfield area. The heritage center collection can fill gaps for researchers looking into deaths before the health district began keeping records.

These early records are typically ledger entries with basic details. Each entry shows the name of the deceased, date of death, age, cause of death, and sometimes the birthplace or parents' names. The level of detail varies. Some entries are quite complete while others have only a name and date. If you are researching Springfield deaths from the late 1800s, the heritage center is worth contacting.

The City of Springfield website provides general city service information and can help you find local government contacts.

The city site does not handle death records directly but has useful links to county offices and local resources.

Search Springfield Death Index Online

The free Ohio Death Certificate Index covers Springfield and Clark County deaths from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Search by name and get results showing the county, date of death, and certificate number. Use that number to order a copy from the county or state.

FamilySearch has digitized Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. These are free with an account. Their collection includes Clark County records covering Springfield. Browse by county and year if the name index does not turn up what you need. The Ohio Memory digital library may have additional materials from Clark County institutions including obituaries, church records, and cemetery transcriptions.

The Ohio Genealogical Society has a Clark County chapter that maintains compiled death indexes, cemetery records, and obituary files. These can supplement the official death index. Local volunteers have transcribed many Springfield area cemeteries, and those records are searchable through the society's website or at the Clark County Public Library.

How to Get Springfield Death Certificates

Walk in to the Clark County Combined Health District in Springfield. This is the fastest way to get a certified copy. Mail requests take a few weeks but work fine. Send a letter with the deceased person's name, date of death, your information, and a $24 check or money order to the health district.

The VitalChek website handles online credit card orders with additional processing fees. The Ohio Department of Health can also issue copies for any Ohio death at $21.50 per certified copy. For research copies from 1908 to 1970, the Ohio History Connection charges about $14 for uncertified copies that take 8 to 10 weeks to process.

Note: The Clark County Combined Health District fee of $24 is the standard rate for Springfield area death certificates.

Springfield Death Index Resources

The Ohio local health districts directory has current contact details for the Clark County Combined Health District. Hours and processes can change, so verify before visiting. Church records from Springfield congregations provide death information that predates the official registration system. Newspaper obituaries from the Springfield News-Sun and earlier papers are another resource for supplementing death index searches.

Funeral home records from Springfield area businesses can include information not found on the death certificate. Some have been donated to the Clark County Historical Society or the local library. The Clark County Public Library has a genealogy and local history section that collects these types of materials. Cemetery records from Ferncliff Cemetery and other Springfield burial grounds have been transcribed by volunteers and are available through various genealogy organizations.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Springfield. Check them if the death may have happened in a nearby area.