Washington County Death Index
Washington County death index records stretch back over 150 years in one of Ohio's oldest settled areas. The county seat is Marietta, which was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory. Searching the Washington County death index involves checking local offices in Marietta and state-level sources depending on the time period. The county health department holds death certificates from 1908 onward, while the probate court has earlier records. Ohio provides a free online death index for certain years that includes Washington County entries, giving you a starting point before making any calls or visits.
Washington County Overview
Washington County Death Certificates
The Washington County Health Department in Marietta issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in the county from 1908 to the present. Walk-in requests are the fastest option. Staff can look up records by name and date of death. Most walk-in requests can be filled the same day during business hours.
Certified copies cost about $25 each. Cash, check, and money order are the typical payment methods. For mail requests, send a letter with the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name and address, and payment. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail processing takes one to two weeks on average. If you are not sure of the exact death date, provide as much information as you can. The staff will try to locate the record.
Under ORC Chapter 3705, Ohio death certificates are public records. Anyone can request a copy without proving a relationship. The only restriction involves the social security number on records for deaths within the past five years. That number is redacted unless the requester is a spouse, child, or estate representative.
The Washington County government website has links to county offices and departments. Check there for current hours and contact details for the health department before visiting.
The official Washington County website provides information about county services, departments, and how to reach the offices that handle death records and other vital statistics.
Death Index Before 1908
The Washington County Probate Court holds death records from the 1867 to 1908 period. Washington County was one of the earliest settled areas in Ohio, so there is a longer history of records here than in many western Ohio counties. The probate court is in the courthouse in Marietta.
Early death records are handwritten entries in ledger books. Each entry shows the name, date of death, age, cause of death, and birthplace. Some include parents' names. The quality and detail vary by time period. Records from the 1890s and early 1900s tend to have more information than those from the 1860s and 1870s. There is no online index for these records. You need to visit the courthouse or write to the probate court with a name and approximate year of death.
Washington County also has strong local historical resources. The Washington County Historical Society and the Marietta area have a long tradition of preserving local records. Cemetery transcriptions from the area go back to the late 1700s in some cases. These can be useful supplements to the official death index, especially for the early settlement period when official registration was not yet required.
Search Washington County Death Index Online
The Ohio Death Certificate Index is a free online database covering 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Search by name and find Washington County entries with the death date and certificate number. You need the certificate number to order a copy from the county or from the state.
FamilySearch provides free access to digitized Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. Create a free account to use it. Their Ohio County Death Records collection covers 1840 to 2001 and includes Washington County entries. Some records are indexed by name, others require browsing. The site is free and run by a nonprofit.
The Ohio Genealogical Society maintains compiled indexes and databases. The Ohio Memory digital library has free materials from Ohio institutions that may include Washington County historical items. Local genealogical groups in the Marietta area have transcribed cemeteries and compiled obituary indexes over the years. These sources can be very useful for filling gaps in the official death index.
Note: Washington County has some of Ohio's oldest settlements, so records here may go back further than in many other counties, but the earliest ones can be hard to find.
Getting Washington County Death Records
For death certificates from 1908 forward, contact the Washington County Health Department in Marietta. Walk in, call, or mail a request. For online ordering, VitalChek accepts credit cards but adds extra fees. The Ohio Department of Health also issues copies at $21.50 each.
The Ohio local health districts directory is a handy way to find the right contact info for the Washington County health office. Always call ahead to check hours and fees before making a trip. For pre-1908 records, the probate court in Marietta is the local source. The Ohio History Connection in Columbus may have Washington County records on microfilm as well.
Church records and funeral home files in the Marietta area are also valuable for death research. Newspaper obituaries from the Marietta Times and other local papers can provide death dates and family details not found in the official death index.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders these counties in southeastern Ohio. Deaths near the county line could be registered in a neighboring county.