Formed January 16, 1808 from Fairfield County territory (administered by Knox County until organizing in 1813) — county seat Mansfield. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.
Short episodes that walk through Richland County's records, one record type at a time.
Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look
Watch on YouTube50 Park Ave. East, 2nd Floor, Mansfield, OH 44902 · (419) 774-5583
richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/probatecourt
Wills, estates, guardianships, adoptions, and marriage licenses. Also holds births and deaths from before 1908/1909, since those predate local health-department registration.
50 Park Ave. East, Mansfield, OH 44902 · (419) 774-5602
richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/recorder
Deeds, mortgages, liens, and land records, with an online search portal.
50 Park Avenue East, Mansfield, OH 44902 · (419) 774-5549
Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.
50 Park Avenue East, Mansfield, OH 44902 · (419) 774-5501
Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.
43 West Third St., Mansfield, OH 44902 · (419) 521-3100
mrcpl.org/explore/genealogy-local-history
Genealogy and local-history collection: photographs, artifacts, city directories, school yearbooks, and the free Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive (1823–1923).
Meets at the OGS state headquarters library, 611 State Route 97 West, Bellville, OH 44813
Organized 1959, reorganized 1964 as OGS's first county chapter. Publishes the quarterly newsletter The Pastfinder.
The Ohio Genealogical Society's statewide headquarters library is also in Bellville (Richland County) — that's the state organization, a separate entity from this county chapter.
310 Springmill St., Mansfield, OH 44903 · (419) 524-1765
oakhillcottage.org · Sundays 2–5pm, April–December
A different organization from the genealogical society above — operates the 1847 Oak Hill Cottage house museum. A member of the RichHistory Alliance, a coalition of ~20 area museums and historical groups.
555 Lexington Ave., Mansfield, OH 44907 · (419) 774-4500
richlandhealth.org/vital-statistics
Births and deaths from 1909 forward. Records before 1908 are at the Probate Court. Marriage and divorce records are not held here — marriages at Probate Court, divorces at the Clerk of Courts.
Find A Grave — Richland County, Interment.net, and OhioGravestones.org.
Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.
Many Richland County record books are filmed and free to view at FamilySearch (free account required).
In Full-Text Search, add Richland County, Ohio as the place to find names inside handwritten deeds, wills, and court books. How to use it.
Richland County was formed in 1808 from Fairfield County. For records made before then, search the parent county:
Most of Richland 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 Richland 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mansfield News Journal | 1932-present | Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive (mrcpl.org, free); NewsJournal.com archive |
| Mansfield News | 1894-1932 | Chronicling America (loc.gov); Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive |
| Mansfield Journal | 1800s-1932 | Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive; microfilm — Mansfield/Richland County Public Library |
| Daily Shield and Banner | 1888-1892 | Chronicling America (Library of Congress, free) |
| Richland Shield and Banner | c.1850s-1890s | Ohio Memory; Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive |
| Mansfield Herald | 1840s-1880s | Richland County Digital Newspaper Archive; microfilm — Mansfield/Richland County Public Library |
Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.
Brick Walls & Buckeyes
brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Richland 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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