Hocking County Death Index

Hocking County death index records are kept in Logan, the county seat. The local health department issues certified death certificates from 1908 forward, and the Probate Court holds older records dating back to 1867. You can search the free Ohio Death Certificate Index online for Hocking County entries covering 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Hocking County is a smaller rural county in southeastern Ohio, so in-person visits to the Logan offices tend to go quickly. Having the full name and approximate date of death on hand will help with any records request.

Hocking County Death Certificates

The Hocking County Health Department issues certified death certificates for deaths that happened in the county from 1908 to now. The office is in Logan. Certified copies cost about $25.00 each. Walk-in requests during business hours are the fastest way to get a copy. Staff can search by name and date of death. Same-day service is typical for routine requests.

Mail requests are available too. Send a letter with the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name and address, how many copies you need, and payment by check or money order. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing time for mail orders is usually one to two weeks. Ohio death certificates are public records under ORC Chapter 3705. Anyone can request a copy regardless of their relationship to the deceased. For deaths within the past five years, the social security number is redacted unless you are a spouse, child, parent, or estate representative. This protects against identity theft while still keeping the records open.

If you are not sure whether a death took place in Hocking County, you can request records from the Ohio Department of Health in Columbus. They have death certificates from all 88 counties from 1908 forward. The state fee is $21.50 per certified copy, and processing takes several weeks by mail.

Hocking County Death Index Before 1908

The Hocking County Probate Court holds death records from 1867 through 1908. Ohio began requiring death registration in 1867 and Hocking County has records from that start date. These are handwritten ledger entries. Each one shows the name of the deceased, date of death, age at death, cause of death, and birthplace. Some entries list parent names, though that was mostly done for children.

The Probate Court is at the Hocking County Courthouse in Logan. You can visit in person or send a written request with the name and an approximate date range. Staff will search the ledger books for you. There is no online index for pre-1908 Hocking County records specifically, so requests must go through the court. The early records survived intact since the courthouse was not destroyed by fire. That makes the 1867 to 1908 period fairly complete for Hocking County.

The Ohio History Connection Archives in Columbus holds microfilm copies of many Ohio county death records, including some from Hocking County. They also have the statewide death certificate index. Contact them at 614-297-2510 for help finding Hocking County records that might not be at the local courthouse.

Search Hocking County Death Records Online

The free Ohio Death Certificate Index lets you search for Hocking County entries from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Type in a name and the results show the county, date of death, and certificate number. You need that certificate number to order a copy of the actual record.

FamilySearch provides free digital images of Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. You need a free account to access them. Their Ohio County Death Records collection covers 1840 to 2001 and may include Hocking County entries. Not every record is indexed by name, so browsing by county is sometimes the only option. Having a rough date of death helps narrow the search when browsing is needed.

For faster service with a credit card, VitalChek is Ohio's authorized online ordering system. They add a processing fee on top of the standard certificate cost but offer rush shipping. This is useful if you need a Hocking County death certificate quickly and cannot visit Logan in person.

Hocking County Death Index Resources

The Ohio Memory digital library is free and has materials from over 360 Ohio institutions. Search for Hocking County to find newspapers, photographs, and local history documents that may reference deaths or burials in the Logan area.

The Ohio Genealogical Society and its local chapters have transcribed many Hocking County cemetery headstones. These transcriptions include names, dates, and sometimes family relationships. Church records from the Logan area are another source, particularly for deaths before 1867 when there was no civil registration. Funeral home records in Hocking County may go back decades and can have information not on the official certificate. The Ohio local health districts directory lists the current contact information for the Hocking County Health Department. Check it before you visit or send a mail request since hours and fees can change.

For military veterans who died in Hocking County, the Ohio History Connection holds graves registration cards covering the Revolutionary War through World War II. Each card has the soldier's name, death date, cause of death, burial location, and service information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hocking County. If the death may have happened nearby, check these counties too.