Created March 1, 1820 from former treaty land (temporarily attached to Mercer County until its 1831 organization) · county seat Lima. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.
Short episodes that walk through Allen County's records, one record type at a time.
Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look
Watch on YouTube1000 Wardhill Ave, Lima, OH 45805 · (419) 227-5531
probate@allencountyohio.com · allenohioprobate.com
Wills, estates, guardianships, marriage licenses, adoption records, and delayed/corrected birth certificates.
301 N. Main St., Room 204, Lima, OH 45801 · (419) 223-8517
Deeds, mortgages, land/property records, plats, and military discharge records.
301 N. Main Street, Lima, OH 45801 · (419) 223-8513
clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com
Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.
301 N. Main Street, Lima, OH 45801 · (419) 223-8518
Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.
650 West Market Street, Lima, OH 45801
limalibrary.com/content/genealogy-resources
Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, Fold3, and local newspaper archive access.
620 West Market St., Lima, OH 45801 · (419) 222-9426
On-site genealogy and local-history library, plus railroad archives.
P.O. Box 1104, Lima, OH 45802 · AllenCoOGS@gmail.com
allencountyohiogenealogicalsociety.com
A separate organization from the Museum, though it meets there monthly (3rd Saturday, except Jan/May/Aug/Dec).
219 E. Market St., Lima, OH 45801 · (419) 228-4457
contact@allenhealthdept.org · allencountypublichealth.org/vital-statistics
Vital records available December 1908–present. Birth records issued for events statewide; death records for Allen County only.
Find A Grave — Allen County and Interment.net — Allen County.
Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.
Many Allen County record books are filmed and free to view at FamilySearch (free account required).
In Full-Text Search, add Allen County, Ohio as the place to find names inside handwritten deeds, wills, and court books. How to use it.
Allen County was formed in 1820 from Shelby County. For records made before then, search the parent county:
Most of Allen 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.
Titles that covered Allen County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.
| Title | Years | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| The Lima Reporter | 1844–1847 | Chronicling America |
| Allen County Democrat | 1855–1859 | Chronicling America |
| The Lima Gazette | 1872–1891 | Chronicling America |
| Allen County Republican | 1877–1891 | Chronicling America |
| Lima Daily Herald | 1899–1900 | Chronicling America |
| The Lima News | 1926–current | Historic: GenealogyBank, NewspaperArchive, OldNews.com (from 1898). Current: limaohio.com |
Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.
Brick Walls & Buckeyes
brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Allen County, Ohio
Addresses and links last checked October 2026.
County guides, record walkthroughs, and brick wall breakthroughs. Subscribe on YouTube and tap the bell so new episodes find you.
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