Find Madison County Genealogy

Madison County genealogy records start in 1810 when the county was formed from Franklin County. The county seat is London, a small city west of Columbus where the courthouse holds marriage, court, land, and probate records going back over two centuries. Birth and death registration began in 1867, but other record types reach further into the past. This guide covers the key offices, record dates, and research tools that will help you search for ancestors in Madison County, Ohio. The Probate Court and Recorder's office on North Main Street are the two main stops for most genealogy requests.

Madison County Genealogy Record Sources

The Madison County Courthouse is at 1 N. Main Street in London, OH 43140. The Madison County Probate Court maintains birth and death records from 1867 to 1908, marriage records from 1810, and probate files from the same year. The county was carved out of Franklin County on March 1, 1810. For any event before that date, you will need to check Franklin County records instead.

The Clerk of Courts holds divorce and civil court records from 1810. The Madison County Recorder keeps land records from 1810 as well. Deeds, mortgages, plats, and military discharges are all on file. Land records in Madison County are especially useful because the county was settled by farming families, and property transfers often show connections between extended family members who moved together.

Madison County is a smaller county, so the staff at the courthouse tend to be more accessible. Call ahead if you plan to visit in person.

Vital Records in Madison County

Birth and death records at the Madison County Probate Court cover 1867 through 1908. Before 1867, Ohio did not require counties to register births and deaths in a standard way. Some earlier records exist in church registers and family Bibles, but the county ledgers start in 1867. After December 20, 1908, the Ohio Department of Health assumed control of vital statistics for the entire state.

Marriage records at the Probate Court go back to 1810. That gives you over 200 years of marriage data for Madison County. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, all vital events must be registered with local authorities. Marriage records are public in Ohio, and you can request copies from the court. Death records from 1908 to 1953 are at the Ohio History Connection in Columbus.

Probate files include wills, estate inventories, guardianship records, and adoption papers. Most are open to the public, though adoption records have restricted access.

Madison County Historical Resources

The Madison County Historical Society in London maintains local history collections and research materials. Their holdings can supplement what you find at the courthouse. Family files, photographs, and community records are common in historical society collections and can add context to your genealogy research.

The London Public Library also keeps genealogy and local history materials. Public libraries are underrated for genealogy work. They often hold newspaper files, obituary clippings, and reference books that are not available anywhere else. If you are in London doing research, stop in and ask what they have for Madison County families.

Military discharge records are on file at the Madison County Recorder's office. If your ancestor served in the Civil War or another conflict, their discharge papers may be recorded here. These documents list age, birthplace, and service details. Probate records at the court also contain estate inventories that list personal property, farm equipment, livestock, and household goods. These inventories give you a sense of how an ancestor lived and what they owned at the time of death.

For online tools, FamilySearch has a wiki page for Madison County listing record types, dates, and office locations. You can search their databases for free. The Ohio History Connection Vital Records Guide helps you figure out which office holds specific records by date range.

The Ohio Memory digital library includes documents and photographs from across Ohio, including Madison County materials.

Ohio Genealogy Tools

The Ohio Genealogical Society publishes county-level indexes and guides that cover Madison County. Their Ohio Records Index includes census, tax, court, and vital record references for all 88 counties. The Ohio Memory digital library and OhioGenealogy.org are both free resources with cemetery records, maps, and digitized documents.

For newspaper research, Chronicling America has digitized Ohio papers you can search by keyword and date. Under Title 37 of the Ohio Revised Code, the rules for public record access are laid out. Most genealogy records in Madison County are open to anyone.

Madison County has no formal birth or death registrations before 1867. For that earlier period, church records, cemetery headstones, and family Bibles are the primary sources. Census records from 1820 onward cover Madison County, and the 1850 census is the first to list every household member by name. Tax duplicate records from the 1810s and 1820s list property owners and can help you trace when a family arrived. Madison County was farming country from the start, and many families stayed on the same land for generations. That makes land records at the Recorder's office especially useful for building out a family tree through property transfers between parents and children.

Cities in Madison County

London is the county seat. No cities in Madison County meet the population threshold for a separate city page, but all residents use the Madison County offices above for genealogy research and record requests.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Madison County. Early settlers moved between counties often, so check neighbors if a record is missing.