One of the main goals for genealogists is finding birth, baptism, and/or christening information about their ancestors.
Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians, and archivists, a great number of indexes to birth and baptism collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific birth, baptism, or christening information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual birth documents themselves. These free online collections have millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include birth information that is not included in the lists below. These different types can be found in 32 Ways to Find Ancestor Birth Information
If you are interested in baptism indexes that may include the birth date as well as baptism information, make sure and check out Church Records.
The lists below are specific birth, baptism, and christening indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state.
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Note: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription, you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
(Updated March 2023)
Ohio Birth Records
- Adams County Births and Marriages
- Adams County Newspaper Excerpts 1831-1857
- Adams County Record of Registration and Corrections of Births, 1941-1967
- Adams County, Birth Indexes
- Allen County, Birth Indexes
- Ashland County Birth Record Registration and Correction (Delayed Births), 1941-1983
- Ashland County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Ashland County, Birth Indexes
- Ashtabula County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Ashtabula County, Birth Correction and Registration 1942-1969
- Ashtabula County, Births, Marriages and Deaths 1810-1947
- Athens County Record of Registration and Corrections of Births, 1941-1995
- Athens County Records of Birth and Death, 1867-1956
- Athens County, Birth Indexes
- Auglaize County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1938
- Auglaize County, Birth Indexes
- Belmont County Birth Records
- Belmont County Birth Record, 1867-1908; Birth Record Index, 1867-1908
- Belmont County Index to Birth Record, 1908-1940
- Belmont County, Birth Indexes
- Birth Record Card File index, 1906-1941
- Bowling Green Birth Records, 1909-1937; Death Records, 1928-1948
- Bowling Green Death Records, 1912-1936; Birth Records, 1908-1920
- Brown County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1909
- Brown County Birth Record Registration & Corrections, 1941-1964
- Butler County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Butler County Record of [Delayed] Births, 1950-1961
- Butler County, Birth Indexes
- Carroll County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1909
- Carroll County Birth returns, 1869-1879
- Carroll County Registration and Corrections of Births, 1932-1989
- Champaign County Birth Records, 1867-1909
- Champaign County, Journal of Registration and Corrections of Birth, 1941-1967
- Cincinnati Birth and Death Records 1865-1912
- Circleville, Death Certificates 1904-1983; City Index to Births & Deaths, 1908-1962
- Clark County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Clark County Record of Registration and Corrections of Births, 1941-1968
- Clermont County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Clermont County Record of Registration and Corrections of Births, 1941-1963
- Clermont County, Returns of Birth and Death, 1856-1857
- Cleveland Returns of Births, 1871-1908
- Cleveland Birth Records, 1873-1908; Index, 1873-1908
- Clinton County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Clinton County Record of Registration and Corrections of Birth, 1941-1967
- Clinton County, Birth Indexes
- Columbiana County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Columbiana County Birth Record Correction and Registration, 1941-1983
- Coshocton County Birth Indexes
- Coshocton County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Coshocton County, Birth Indexes
- Crawford County Church Records, 1853-2007
- Crawford County Registration and Corrections of Births 1941-1968
- Crawford County Birth and Death Records, 1866-1909; Index to Birth, 1867-1878
- Crawford County, Statements of Birth and Death, 1896-1906
- Cuyahoga County Records, 1880-1950
- Cuyahoga County Vital Records Indexes
- Cuyahoga County Birth Index, ca. 1849-1910
- Cuyahoga County Birth Record of Collinwood, 1888-1908; Birth Record of Glenville, 1888-1905
- Cuyahoga County Birth Records, 1867-1908; Index, 1890-1908, 1867-1908
- Cuyahoga County, Birth affidavits, 1849-1908, 1878-1952
- Cuyahoga County, Birth Indexes
- Cuyahoga County, Delayed Birth Registration and Correction, 1873-1908
- Darke County, Records of Birth, Marriage and Death, 1817-1911
- Defiance County Birth Records, 1866-1908; Index, 1866-1908
- Defiance County Registry of Births, 1856-1857; Return of Births, 1867-1873, 1890-1891
- Defiance County, Birth Certificates 1908-1910
- Defiance County, Birth Records of Dr. Salathiel Williams, 1884-1913
- Defiance County, Report of Births and Deaths 1875-1908
- Delaware County Birth Records, 1867-1909
- Delaware County, Registration of Birth (Delayed/Correction), 1941-1981
- Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records, 1796-2004
- Erie County Report of Births and Deaths, v. 1A-2A, 1896-1913
- Erie County Assessors’ Returns of Births and Deaths, 1870-1909
- Erie County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Erie County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1856-1865
- Fairfield County Delayed and Corrected Birth Records, 1941-1985
- Fairfield County Birth Records, 1867-1909, 1941-1960
- Fayette County Births and Deaths
- Fayette County Miscellaneous Birth Records, ca. 1867-1910
- Fayette County Birth Records, 1867-1908; Registration of Births and Corrections, 1941- 1962
- Franklin County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Fulton County Marriage Records, 1864-1930; Birth Records, 1867-1951; Delayed Birth Records and Index, Death Records, 1867-1951
- Gallia County Birth Records 864-1987
- Gallia County Births
- Geauga County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Geauga County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Geauga County Records, 1860-1970
- Geauga County Birth and Death Records 1867-1908
- Geauga County, Birth Indexes
- Greene County Vital Records Indexes
- Greene County Record of Births 1869-1909
- Greene County Registration and Correction of Births 1941-1962
- Guernsey County Assessor’s Return of Report of Birth, 1885-1908
- Guernsey County Birth Record Index, 1867-1907
- Guernsey County Birth Records v. 1-3, 1867-1909, 1941-1963
- Guernsey County Birth Registration and Corrections, 1941-1976, 1867-1976
- Hamilton County Birth Record Journals 1863-1908; Index, 1846-1908
- Hamilton County Births
- Hamilton County Births: vol. 1, 1880-1884
- Hamilton County Records, 1791-1994
- Hamilton County Records, 1791-1994
- Hamilton County, Birth Indexes
- Hamilton County, Birth Marriage & Death Records 1796-1877
- Hamilton County, Birth Records, 1968-1974
- Hancock County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1909
- Hancock County, Report of Birth and Death Records, 1885-1904
- Hardin County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Hardin County, Birth Indexes
- Hardin County, Report of Births & Deaths, 1868-1909
- Harris Elmore Public Library Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Harrison County Birth Records, 1867-1941
- Henry County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Henry County Vital Records: Marriage Records, 1847-1930, Birth and Death Records, 1867-1921, and Delayed Birth Records
- Highland County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Highland County Registration and Correction of Births, 1941-1960
- Hocking County Birth Record Registration & Correction 1941-1988
- Hocking County Birth Certificates, 1867-1930
- Hocking County, Returns of Birth and Death Packets, 1856-1857
- Holmes County Birth Records, 1867-1966; Death Records, 1867-1908
- Huron County Birth and Death Index
- Huron County Birth Records 1867-1908
- Huron County Registration and Correction of Birth Records 1941-1965
- Jackson County, Birth Records, 1867-1909
- Jackson County, Registration and Corrections of Births, 1941-1993
- Jefferson County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Jefferson County, Birth Records, 1895-1906
- Jefferson County, Delayed Birth Records, ca. 1867-1956
- Knox County Birth Certificates, 1909-1945
- Knox County Birth Index Card File, 1908-2001
- Knox County Birth Record Index, 1867-1907
- Knox County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Knox County Record of Corrected or omitted Births, 1941-1977
- Lake County Vital Records Indexes
- Lake County Record of Births and Deaths, v. 1-2, 1867-1908
- Lawrence County Birth Records and Index 1867-1938; Registration of Births and Corrections, 1941-1984; Delay Births Records 1942-2002
- Lawrence County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Lawrence County, Birth Indexes
- Licking County Birth Records, 1875-1908; Registrations and Corrections of Birth, 1941-1979
- Licking County, Birth Records of Dr. Sook, 1854-1889
- Logan County Birth Applications 1941-1967; Births 1867-1908, 1940; Deaths 1867-1909, 1940; Marriages 1818-1966
- Logan County, Birth Indexes
- Lorain County Birth and Death Records 1867-1908
- Lorain County Birth Records, Registration and Correction, 1941- 1942
- Lorain County Births and Deaths 1867-1908
- Lucas County Record of Births 1867-1908; Index, 1867-1908
- Lucas County Indexes to Birth Certificates, 1867-1933; Indexes to Death Certificates, 1955-1990
- Lucas County, Birth Indexes
- Madison County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Mahoning County Vital Records
- Mahoning County Birth and Death Records, 1864-1908
- Mahoning County Register of Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1857
- Marion County Birth Records, 1867-1908; Birth Corrections and Registrations, 1941-1964
- Marion County, Birth Indexes
- Medina County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1965
- Meigs County Birth Index pre-1900
- Meigs County Birth Record Card File Index 1876-1908
- Meigs County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Meigs County Registration and Correction of Birth Records, 1941-1963
- Meigs County, Birth Indexes
- Mercer County Correction of Birth Records 1941-1982
- Mercer County Assessors’ Report of Births and Deaths, 1868-1908
- Mercer County Birth Records, vols. 1-4, 1867-1908
- Mercer County, Birth Indexes
- Miami County Birth Records, 1853-1965
- Miami Valley Genealogical Index
- Middleton Township, Wood County, Birth & Death Certificates 1908-1951
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Monroe County Birth Records 1867-1908
- Monroe County Birth Registration and Corrections, 1941-1997
- Monroe County, Birth Indexes
- Montgomery County Index to Births, 1909-1948
- Montgomery County Birth and Death Records, 1866-1910
- Morgan County Birth Record Registration and Correction, 1941-1968
- Morgan County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Morgan County, Birth Book I: 1867-1884
- Morgan County, Birth Records, 1957-2007
- Morrow County Birth Records, 1867-1909, 1940
- Morrow County Registration and Correction of Births, 1941-1964
- Morrow County, Birth Indexes
- Morrow County, Return of Births, Deaths, Marriages, 1856-1859
- Mount Vernon Birth Certificates 1908-1931
- Muskingum County Birth Records, 1867-1891
- Muskingum County Births, 1867-1909
- Muskingum County, Zanesville, Church Records: St. James Episcopal Church, 1819-2017
- Noble County Birth Records, 1867-1972
- Noble County, Birth Indexes
- Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962
- Ohio County Births, 1841-2003
- Ohio Birth Records, 1889-1891
- Ohio Birth Records, 1922-1931
- Ohio Birth Records, 1926-1951
- Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947
- Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918
- Ohio, Affidavits of Birth, 1932-1938
- Ohio, Certificates of Births/Deaths/Stillbirths,1918-1953
- Ohio, Index of all Births, 1908-1911
- Orange and Union Township Birth & Death Certificates, 1908-1939
- Ottawa County Index to Birth Records 1867-1891
- Ottawa County Vital Records
- Ottawa County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Ottawa County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Ottawa County Record of Registration, and Correction of Birth Registrations: dates Filed, 1942-1964
- Paulding County Records of Births, 1867-1908
- Perry County Delayed Correction and Registration of Births 1940-1991; Index, 1940-1991
- Perry County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Pickaway County Births and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Pickaway County, excluding the City of Circleville, Death Certificates for 1930-1961, County Index to Births & Deaths, 1908-1962
- Pickaway County, including the City of Circleville, Certificates of Death, Index to Births & Deaths, 1963-1983
- Pickaway County, Return of Births & Deaths, 1856-1857
- Pike County Birth Records, 1867-1962
- Plain Township, Wood County Birth and Death Records, 1898-1903
- Pleasant Township, Henry County Birth and Death Records, 1886-1887
- Portage County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Preble County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Preble County Genealogical Database
- Preble County Birth, Death and Marriage Records 1808-1908
- Putnam County Supplements to Birth Certificates, 1909-1965; Supplements to Death Certificates, 1915-1960
- Putnam County Birth Records, 1857-1920; Index, 1854-1925
- Putnam County Delayed Births Registered 1941-1964
- Putnam County, Birth Certificates 1890-1996
- Putnam County, Birth Indexes
- Putnam County, Statements of Births and Deaths, 1907-1908
- Richland County Birth and Baptism Indexes
- Richland County Birth Records 1856-1857, 1867-1869
- Richland County Birth Records Index 1846-1975
- Richland, Birth Records 1867-1957, Birth Corrections 1856-1994
- Ross County Births
- Ross County Birth Record of Registration and Corrections
- Ross County Birth Records, 1867-1908; Index to Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Ross County, Birth Indexes
- Ross County, Birth Records, 1888-1908; Index to Birth Records, 1888-1908
- Sandusky County, Delayed Births and Deaths, 1891
- Scioto County Birth Records, 1856-1962
- Scioto County, Delayed Registration & Correction of Births, 1944-1968
- Seneca County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1909; Delayed Birth Registrations, 1941- 1965
- Shelby County Birth and Death Records 1867-1908
- Shelby County Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1857-1858
- St. John’s United Church of Christ Records (Bucyrus), 1837-1961
- Stark County Miscellaneous Newspaper Notice Indexes
- Stark County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Stark County, Birth Index Cards, 1868-1935
- Stark County, Birth Record Registration & Correction, 1941-1984
- Stark County, Birth Record, 1869-1926
- Stark County, Miscellaneous Birth and Death Records, 1940-1941
- Summit County Birth Records, 1866-1908; Index, 1869-1908
- Summit County, Birth Records
- Summit County, Cuyahoga Falls, Birth Records
- Toledo Births, 1868-1901; Indexes to Births, 1868-1910
- Trumbull County Records, 1795-2010
- Trumbull County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Trumbull County, Birth Records, 1941-1998
- Tuscarawas County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Union County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Union County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1969; Index, 1867-1907
- Union County, Birth Records, 1856-1941
- Union County, Ohio, Union County, Birth Records, 1867-1879
- United States Births and Christenings, 1867-1931
- Van Ewert County, Birth Indexes
- Van Wert County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Van Wert County, Birth Certificates 1891-1951; Index, 1908-1994
- Vinton County Birth Record Registration and Correction, 1941-1974
- Vinton County Birth Records, 1867-1952
- Vinton County General Index to Files
- Vinton County, Birth Indexes
- Warren County Birth Records, 1867-1908
- Warren County Delayed and Corrected Births 1941-1964
- Washington County Birth Records, 1867-1914
- Washington County Delayed and Corrected Birth Registration, 1941-1988
- Washington County, Birth Records, 1864-1948
- Wayne County Birth Records, 1867-1908; Registrations and corrections, 1941-1966
- Williams County Birth and Death Records 1867-1941
- Williams County, Statements of Births/Deaths, 1900-1908
- Wood County Birth Certificates 1865-1939
- Wood County Birth Records, 1867-1909; Registration of Birth Records, 1941-1965; and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Wood County Birth and Death Records, 1894-1908
- Wood County, Birth Indexes
- Woodville, Sandusky County, Physician’s Birth Records, 1909-1923
- Woodville, Sandusky County, Physicians’ Birth Records, 1920-1936
- Wyandot County Birth and Death Records, 1867-1908
- Wyandot County Birth Records, 1880-1940; Index, 1880-1940
- Wyandot County Birth, Death and stillBirth Certificates, 1911-1944
- Wyandot County, Birth Records, 1941-1943
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For all Free Ohio Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
For all Free Ohio Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
