County Research Guide

Stark County, Ohio

Formed 1808 from Columbiana County · county seat Canton. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.

Watch the Series

Stark County, Ohio Genealogy & History

Short episodes that walk through Stark County's records, one record type at a time.

Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look

Watch on YouTube

Where the records are

Stark County Probate Court

110 Central Plaza South, Suite 501, Canton, OH 44702 · (330) 451-7755

starkcountyohio.gov/probate

Estate records, guardianships, and marriage licenses (appointment recommended). Hours M–F 8:30am–4:30pm.

Stark County Recorder

110 Central Plaza South, Suite 170, Canton, OH 44702 · (330) 451-7443

starkcountyohio.gov — Recorder

Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property records; online index searchable 24/7 at no cost.

Stark County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas)

115 Central Plaza, Suite 101, Canton, OH 44702 · (330) 451-7801

starkcountyohio.gov/clerk

Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.

Stark County Auditor

110 Central Plaza South, Suite 220, Canton, OH 44702 · (330) 451-7357

starkcountyohio.gov/auditor

Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.

Stark County District Library — Family & Local History Department

715 Market Ave. N, 2nd Floor, Canton, OH 44702 · (330) 452-0665

starklibrary.org/genealogy

Dedicated genealogy and local-history collection at the Main Library; one-on-one appointments with a staff genealogist available.

Stark County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society (Chapter No. 76)

PO Box 9035, Canton, OH

starkcountyogs.org

Active since 1973. Meets 3rd Thursday, March–November; business meeting followed by a guest speaker. Visitors welcome.

No direct phone listed — use the website contact form.

Stark County Historical Society — McKinley Presidential Library & Museum

800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW, Canton, OH 44708 · (330) 455-7043

mckinleymuseum.org

A separate organization from the OGS chapter. Runs the McKinley Museum's Ramsayer Research Center, a genealogy and local-history archive.

Stark County Combined General Health District — Vital Statistics

7235 Whipple Ave. NW, North Canton, OH 44720

starkhealth.org — Vital Statistics

Births and deaths, 1908–present, for events in Stark County — except Canton, Massillon, and Alliance, which route through their own city health departments or Ohio Vital Records. Online orders via Permitium.

Direct phone number not confirmed — check starkhealth.org before your visit.

Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.

Before Stark County existed

Stark County was formed in 1808 from Columbiana County. For records made before then, search the parent county:

Land: Congress Lands

Most of Stark County's land was federal Congress Lands, surveyed in townships and sections and first sold through U.S. land offices. The first buyer of each tract received a federal patent.

More for Stark County

Newspapers of Stark County

Titles that covered Stark County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.

TitleYearsWhere to Search
The Repository (Canton, orig. The Ohio Repository)1815-presentGenealogyBank & Newspapers.com (partial); Stark Co. District Library digital archive (to 1946)
The Stark County Democrat (Canton)1833-1912Chronicling America (full run); Stark Co. District Library digital archive
Stark County Republican (Canton)1830s-1870sStark Co. District Library digital archive
Canton Daily NewsEarly-mid 1900sStark Co. District Library digital archive
The Independent / Evening Independent (Massillon)1863-presentChronicling America (select issues); microfilm only — Massillon Public Library
Alliance Review (Alliance)1871-presentRodman Public Library digital archive (1871-1876, 1989-present); Newsbank (2002-present)

Download the Newspaper Research Log (PDF)

Printable Record Checklist

Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.

Brick Walls & Buckeyes emblem Brick Walls & Buckeyes brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Stark County, Ohio

Vital & Probate

Birth record (Health Dept. 1908+, or city health dept.)
Death record (Health Dept. 1908+)
Marriage record (Probate Court)
Will / estate administration file
Guardianship record
Divorce or court case (Clerk of Courts)

Land & Property

Deed / land transfer (Recorder's Office)
Mortgage record
Lien record
Tax duplicate (Auditor, FamilySearch)
First land purchase or patent (BLM GLO or county deeds)

Community & Print

Newspaper mention (The Repository)
Surname family file (Stark Co. District Library)
Cemetery record / headstone photo
Museum artifact record (McKinley Museum)
Census record

Addresses and links last checked October 2026.

Never Miss an Episode

New Ohio genealogy videos every week

County guides, record walkthroughs, and brick wall breakthroughs. Subscribe on YouTube and tap the bell so new episodes find you.

Subscribe on YouTube