Madison County Death Index Search

Madison County death index records are available through the county health department in London. If you are looking for a death record from this central Ohio county west of Columbus, the Madison County Health Department has certificates from 1908 forward. London is the county seat and home to both the health department and the Probate Court. You can also search part of the Madison County death index for free through the Ohio History Connection online database, which covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963.

Madison County Death Certificates

The Madison County Health Department issues certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Madison County from 1908 to the present. Their office is in London. Walk-in requests are the fastest option. Bring a valid photo ID and the full name and date of death of the person you need the record for. Staff can usually pull the record and print a copy while you wait during regular business hours.

Each certified copy costs about $25.00. Payment by cash, check, or money order is accepted for in-person and mail requests. To request by mail, send a letter with the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name and address, phone number, relationship to the deceased, and a check or money order for the correct amount. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Mail orders typically take one to two weeks to process. Madison County is a smaller county, so the turnaround can sometimes be faster than larger offices.

Here is the Madison County Health Department vital statistics page where you can find forms and current information about death certificate requests.

The health department handles both death and birth certificates for the county. If you are planning to visit, call ahead to confirm their hours since smaller county offices sometimes have limited schedules.

Madison County Death Record Sources

The Madison County government website links to various county offices. The Probate Court in London holds death records from before 1908. Ohio began requiring death registration at the county level in 1867, and the Probate Court has ledger books with entries from that period through 1908. These handwritten records show the name, date of death, age, cause, and sometimes birthplace and parents' names.

The Madison County government site shown below provides links to county departments and services.

You can visit the Probate Court in person or send a written request to search old records. They are not online. The court clerk can help you look for a specific entry if you know the name and a rough time frame for the death. Some early Madison County records have been microfilmed by the Ohio History Connection and may be available at their archives in Columbus.

Madison County Death Record Access

Death certificates are public records in Ohio under ORC Title 37. Anyone can request a copy from any county. You do not need to prove a relationship. The only restriction is for deaths within the past five years. For those records, the social security number is removed unless you are a qualified applicant like a spouse, child, parent, or estate representative.

The Ohio Department of Health in Columbus serves as the central office for all vital records in the state. If Madison County cannot help with your request, the state can issue certified copies for $21.50 each for any Ohio death from December 20, 1908 to the present. You can also order through VitalChek online with a credit card. VitalChek adds its own fees for processing and shipping on top of the state cost.

Search Madison County Death Index Online

The free Ohio Death Certificate Index is the best starting point for online searches. It covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Enter a name and the results show the county, date of death, and certificate number. That number is what you need to request a copy of the full certificate.

FamilySearch has free access to digitized Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. You need a free account. Their Ohio County Death Records collection spans 1840 to 2001 and may have Madison County entries beyond the state index. Not every record is name-indexed, so for some years you may need to browse images by county. It can be time-consuming but is one of the best free resources available for Ohio death records that are not in the main state database.

The Ohio Memory digital library and the Ohio Genealogical Society offer additional resources. Local chapters compile death indexes from cemetery transcriptions, church records, and obituaries. The Ohio local health districts directory can confirm current contact details for the Madison County Health Department before you reach out.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Madison County. If a death may have been filed elsewhere, check these neighbors.