Pike County, Ohio Genealogy

United States Genealogy

Ohio

Pike County

Guide to Pike County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Ohio Online Genealogy Records

Pike County, Ohio
Map
Location of Ohio in the U.S.
Courthouse
Address	Pike County Courthouse 100 E. 2nd Waverly, Ohio 45690-1301 Pike County Website

Pike County, Ohio Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1867	1815	1867	1815	1799	1817	1820
Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1908. General compliance year is unknown.

• Parent Counties: Formed from Adams, Ross, and Scioto Counties 4 January 1815.
• County Seat: Waverly

Description

The county was named for Zebulon Pike, explorer and soldier killed in the War of 1812. It's county seat is Waverly and was founded February 1, 1815. It is located in the South-Central area of the state.

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Villages
Beaver Piketon	Waverly (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Buchanan Camp Idaho	Jasper Latham Morgantown	Sargents Spellman Crossing Wakefield
Census-designated places
Cynthiana Stockdale
Townships
Beaver Benton Camp Creek Jackson Marion	Mifflin Newton Pebble Pee Pee Perry	Scioto Seal Sunfish Union

Neighboring Counties

Ross County  • Jackson County  • Scioto County  • Adams County  • Highland County

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Ohio county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Ohio County Boundary Maps" (1788-1940) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Online Grave Transcripts	Published Grave Transcripts	County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com	Family History Library	Findagrave.com
Interment.net	WorldCat	Names in Stone
USGW Tombstones		Billion Graves
Billion Graves
OHGenWeb
Ohio OHGenWeb Tombstone Photos
Ohio Gravestones
See Ohio Cemeteries for more information.

• Pike County, Ohio Cemetery List Hometownlocator
• The Political Graveyard
• Many Cemetery Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.

Census and Directories

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	4,253	—
1830	6,024	41.6%
1840	7,626	26.6%
1850	10,953	43.6%
1860	13,643	24.6%
1870	15,447	13.2%
1880	17,927	16.1%
1890	17,482	−2.5%
1900	18,172	3.9%
1910	15,723	−13.5%
1920	14,151	−10.0%
1930	13,876	−1.9%
1940	16,113	16.1%
1950	14,607	−9.3%
1960	19,380	32.7%
1970	19,114	−1.4%
1980	22,802	19.3%
1990	24,249	6.3%
2000	27,695	14.2%
2010	28,709	3.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• Pike County Ohio Census Index
• 1820 United States Federal Census $
• 1830 United States Federal Census $
• 1840 United States Federal Census $
• United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850 - FamilySearch Historical Records
• U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 $
• United States Census 1850
• United States Census 1860
• 1860 United States Federal Census $
• United States Census 1870
• United States Census 1880 (Index only)
• 1890 Veterans Schedule $
• United States Census 1900
• 1910 United States Federal Census $
• United States Census 1920
• 1930 United States Federal Census $
• 1930 Census of Merchant Seamen $

Church Records

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Ohio denominations, see Ohio Church Records.

• Pike County, Ohio Churches
• Topographic Map Church Features in Pike County, Ohio

Court Records

• Many Court Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
• Many Guardianship Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.

Funeral Homes

• County Funeral Records 1913-1917 (Hammerstein Funeral Home)

History

Local histories are available for Pike County, Ohio Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Ohio Local Histories.

Local Histories

• McCormick, Mrs. Harold, History of Pike County, (Waverly, Ohio: The Commissioners of Pike County, 1960). FHL film 213048 Item 1
• Howe, Henry, History Articles About Pike County, Ohio, from the Historical Collections of Ohio, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Bradley and Anthony, 1848). FHL book 977.1847 H2h

• Pike County Ohio Biographies
• History of River Scioto Valley, Ohio (WorldVital Records $)
• History of PIke County
• Many History Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.

Land and Property

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See Ohio Land and Property for additional information about early Ohio land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.

• Land Patent Search (BLM)
• Land Access
• U. S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 $
• Many Land Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.

Maps

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
• 1914 County Map for Pike-Ross
• Ohio Historical Lines
• Maps of Pike County, Ohio
• Map Showing Pike County, Ohio

Military

General

• 1888-1919 - Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
• Military Index
  

Civil War

• Civil War service men from Ross County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Ross County.

- 1st Regiment, Ohio Heavy Artillery, Company C

- 56th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company I

World War I

• 1914-1919 - Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1914-1918 - Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1916-1920 - Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — index
• 1917-1918 - World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 $

World War II

• U. S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 $
• U. S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 $
• United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at FamilySearch

Naturalization and Citizenship

• 1800-1977 - Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

Pike County, Ohio Genealogy newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.

To access newspapers, contact public libraries, Ohio Genealogical Society chapters, college or university libraries, the Library of Congress, Google News, or the Ohio Memory. The Ohio Genealogical Society Obituary Database is another source of newspaper information.

For more Ohio newspaper information see the Newspaper Guides on the wiki page Ohio Newspapers and Obituaries. Online Newspapers
Online Newspaper Abstracts

• Obituaries
• Obituary and Death Notices

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

Probate

From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. After 1852, records are held by the {{{1}}} County Probate Court. Records include wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (1867-1908 only). The records may give the decedent's date of death, name of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.

See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records. Online Probate Records

• 1786 - 1998 Ohio Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1789 - 1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — images
• 1790–1967 - Ohio, Probate Records, 1790-1967 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This collection consists of probate records and estate files from county courthouses in Ohio. The content and time period varies by county, with more records being added as they become available. This Collection will include records from 1789 to 1996. Currently, (September 2012) the collection is only searchable by browsing the images. A list of Fires that have destroyed records in the courthouses of several counties are listed on the Record Description page.
• Many Probate Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.

• Pike County Wills & Administrations

Finding More Probate Records

Additional probate records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Pike County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Records in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).

Repositories

Courthouse

Pike County Courthouse
100 E 2nd Street
Waverly, OH 45690
Phone: 740.947.2715

Probate Judge has birth, marriage and probate records;
Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1815;
County Recorder has land records

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Chillicothe Ohio Family History Center

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. Put your town name in the top search box.

Libraries

Garnet A. Wilson Public Library
207 North Market Street
Waverly, Ohio 45690
Telephone: 740-947-4921
Website

Societies

Pike County Genealogy and Historical Society
PO Box 224
Waverly, Ohio 45690
Website

The Ohio Genealogical Society
611 State Route 97 West
Bellvile, Ohio 44813-8813
Website

Online Genealogy Research Groups

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• U.S. Midwest Genealogy Research Community - FamilySearch Facebook Research Group
• Ohio Ancestors - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join
• U.S. and Canada Genealogy Research - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join

Schools

• Pike County Schools

Taxation

• 1800-1950 - Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Finding More Tax Records

Additional tax records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Pike County, Ohio Genealogy Tax Records in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).

Vital Records

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Marriages were usually recorded from the formation of the county and are held at the office of the County Probate Court. Divorce records are located with the county Clerk of Courts.

Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the County Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954, while the Ohio History Connection houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.

• Vital Records at OHGenWeb Archives

Birth

Online Birth Indexes and Records

• 1841-2003 - Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — index and images
• Pike County, Ohio Births

• 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry.com ($) — index

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage

Online Marriage Indexes and Records

• 1789-2013 - Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1800-1958 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — free; Index.
• 1800-1942 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — index
• 1803-1900 - Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900 $
• Pike County Ohio Marriages
• 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death

Online Death Indexes and Records

• 1840-2001 - Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1908-1953 - Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953. Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch. Records include such information as birth date of deceased, city, county, and state of death, name of spouse if married, names of parents, maiden name of mother, name of informant, if deceased was single, married, windowed or divorced, occupation of deceased.
• 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2002 - Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2002 $
• 1913-1944 - Ohio Death Certificate Index, 1913-1944
• 1958-1967 - Pike County Death Records, 1958-1967
  
• Pike County Names and Years of Deaths of Early Resident Who Died Intestate
• Many Vital Records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
• 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
• 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Finding More Vital Records

Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Pike County, Ohio Genealogy Vital Records in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Websites

• Pike County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• Pike County OH Genealogy
• USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• FamilySearch Catalog
• Publication List
• Cyndi's List for Pike County, Ohio *Pike County Chamber of Commerce

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library