Find Perry County Death Index

Perry County death index records are managed through offices in New Lexington, the county seat. The Perry County Health Department holds death certificates from 1908 forward and has a website with vital statistics information. The Probate Court keeps older death records. You can search for Perry County deaths online through the Ohio Death Certificate Index, which is free and covers records from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Perry County sits in the hills of southeast Ohio and has a long history of coal mining communities.

Perry County Death Certificates

The Perry County Health Department issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Perry County from 1908 to the present. Their vital statistics office is in New Lexington. Walk-in requests during normal business hours get the fastest turnaround. Staff can pull and print a certified copy the same day.

Certified copies cost about $25.00 each. Cash, check, and money order are accepted. For mail requests, send a letter to the health department with the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name and relationship, phone number, and payment. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to two weeks for processing. The Perry County Health Department website has additional information about services and contact details.

Ohio death certificates are public records under ORC Chapter 3705. Anyone can get a copy. For deaths in the last five years, the social security number is removed unless the requester is a spouse, child, parent, or estate representative. The Ohio Department of Health can also issue certified copies at $21.50 each for any Ohio death.

Perry County Death Index Before 1908

The Perry County Probate Court holds death records from 1867 and later. These are handwritten entries in ledger books. Each one shows the name, death date, age, and cause of death. Some entries also list the birthplace and parents' names. The detail varies by entry and by the clerk who recorded it.

Perry County was established in 1818. The courthouse is in New Lexington. To search the early death records, visit the Probate Court in person. Phone lookups may be possible for simple requests, but broader searches usually require a visit. There is no online database for these pre-1908 Perry County records at this time. Coal mining accidents were a common cause of death in Perry County during the late 1800s and early 1900s, so death records from that era may include entries related to mine disasters and industrial incidents.

The Ohio History Connection in Columbus may have microfilm copies of Perry County death records. They are one of the best backup locations when local courthouse records are hard to access or incomplete. Contact them at 614-297-2510 to ask about Perry County holdings before making a trip.

Search Perry County Death Records Online

The free Ohio Death Certificate Index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Enter a name and the database returns the county, date of death, and certificate number. You need that number to order the full certificate from the health department or the state office.

FamilySearch gives free access to Ohio death certificate images from 1908 to 1953. A free account is required. Their broader Ohio County Death Records collection runs from 1840 to 2001 and may include Perry County entries. Browse by county if name searches do not work since not all records have been fully indexed.

The Ohio Memory digital library is another free tool. It gathers materials from hundreds of Ohio institutions and may have Perry County items such as newspaper obituaries, cemetery records, or local history documents. The Ohio Genealogical Society and local chapters often compile death indexes and cemetery transcriptions that go beyond what is in the official databases.

How to Get Perry County Death Records

The simplest way is to walk into the Perry County Health Department in New Lexington. Bring the name and approximate date of death. Staff will search their records and print a certified copy while you wait. This works for any death from 1908 onward.

Mail requests are also accepted. Send your letter with all details and payment to the health department address listed above. For online ordering, VitalChek accepts credit cards and offers different shipping speeds. They charge extra fees beyond the base cost. The Ohio local health districts directory can help you confirm the current phone number and hours for the Perry County office before you make a trip or send a request.

For records before 1908, contact the Perry County Probate Court directly. These older records are not available through VitalChek or the state health department. You will need to reach out to the court in New Lexington for those early ledger entries.

Perry County Death Index Resources

Cemetery transcriptions are a key resource in Perry County. The county has many small rural cemeteries scattered across the hills, and local volunteers have worked to record the inscriptions. These transcriptions often include death dates and ages that match up with official death records, providing a cross-reference when official indexes are incomplete. Church records from Perry County congregations can also document deaths from before and after the formal registration period.

For military veterans who died in Perry County, the Ohio History Connection has graves registration cards from the Revolutionary War through World War II. These cards list the veteran's name, death date, burial place, and military service details. Newspaper obituaries from the Perry County Tribune and other local papers are another way to find death information. The Perry County Historical Society and local libraries may hold clipping files and compiled indexes that are not available online. Funeral home records can sometimes be accessed through the funeral home or local genealogical groups.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Perry County. Death records may be filed in a neighboring county if the death occurred near a border area.