The Recorder's Office was established in April 1794 when all of Ohio was divided into only two counties. Present Hamilton County lines were established about 1805. The Recorder's Office records, preserves and makes available for inspection documents relating to real estate and other personal records. Real estate involves not only the sale, lease or transfer of property, but also encumbrances (such as mortgages and liens) that would either block or affect the title of a piece of property.

Books on Hamilton County property are available at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (PLCH). Also, the Recorder's Office records and indexes of most interest to genealogists and historians are available at the Cincinnati History Library and Archives (CHLA) on 1300+ microfilms. CHLA has collected material relating to the Greater Cincinnati area since 1831. For additional information, see Records Repositories-Library-CHLA.

Real Estate

For assistance with Hamilton County land research, see the Local Records - Land Records & Maps web page.

Other Than Real Estate

Beginning in 1794, the Recorder accepted almost any document the public wished to be recorded. When the office opened, all records were recorded in deed books. As time went on, six major non-deed record groups were separated into their own dedicated books with their own indexes:

Organizations (1844-1988)
Partnerships (1846-1988)
Powers of Attorney (1848-1988)
Cemetery Lot Deeds (1859-1934)
Veteran Discharges (1859-present)
After 1859, all other types were designated as Miscellaneous and recorded in Miscellaneous Books.

For examples of deeds and 40 other types of documents, William Graver has created an every name and business (7,649) index to Deed Books D1, F3 and R2 (1801-1820). The index not only gives the full name, but title, document type, places outside of Hamilton County and a unique "chain" index, that is, the number of other persons in the same document with other surnames. Title is "Index to Selected Hamilton County, Ohio, Recorder's Books, 1801-1820", (2000). PLCH Main library: 929.377177 G775, CHLA: GENERAL 929.37714 G775

Minor types of non-deed records recorded in deed books, 1794-1859, and afterwards as Miscellaneous:

acceptance	affidavit	agent	agreement	anti-nuptial	appointment
articles of association	assignment	award	bankruptcy	bond	caveat
certificate of marriage	change of name	church decree	company	compromise	consent
consolidation	constitution	contract decision	declaration	decree	dedication
deed	deposition	dower	dying declaration	forfeit	guarantee
judgement	last will	lease	lien	manufacturing	mortgage
note	order of court	partition	patent	petition	proposition
receipt	right of way	settlement	specification	survey	testament
trust	trustee	will

**Non-deed Indexes - Vol. 1 only Available Here**

In January 2011, Wayne Coates, former Hamilton County Recorder, began a joint effort to have historical (1794-1900) indexes and records available on the internet. This partnership continues with Recorder, Norbert Nadel. Eventually, all indexes over 110 years old, oldest first, will be online. Many indexes and records are also available on microfilm at the Cincinnati History Library and Archives. Those available so far can be accessed below.

Sundries Indexes

Non-deed and some deed documents were indexed in the Sundries Indexes from 1794 to 1988. Volume 1 covers 1794 to 1889. A number of index entries are incomplete, unreadable or not identified by book (1 or 2). Until these entries are resolved, they are listed as incomplete below. This HCGS created finding aid is a transcribed and completely sorted by last name and within same last name, by first name. This file has every word search capability. Once file is loaded, press ctrl and F keys to get search box. Note: each page is either a "TO" page or "From" page. Therefore, the document is indexed twice, under Grantee and Grantor. Businesses may be indexed under "T" as In "The Miami Railroad". Communities may be under "V" as in "Village of Oakely". For more on sundries, click here.

Sundries Index, volume 1, 1794-1889: A to K L to Z Incomplete entries

New (Nov 2019): While some of the records listed may be at FamilySearch.org, if they are not, if you are a member, e-mail me at preservation@hcgsohio.org with the names, type, book and page and I will look it up next time I am at the Recorder's Office. (Jim Dempsey)

Original Sundries index, vol. 2, 1889-1902, any word searchable, is available here: AtoL MtoZ

Original Sundries index, vol. 3, 1903-1917, any word searchable, is available here: AtoE FtoL MtoR StoZ

Sundries Indexes, volumes 1 through 8 (1794-1969) have been digitized and are online at FamilySearch.org , click on Browse and then "Land and Property Records".

Cemetery, Miscellaneous, Organizations, Partnerships, Powers of Attorney and Veteran Discharge records

Until 1844, these six major non-deed record groups were recorded in deed books. Early deed indexes are not yet available online. Deed indexes can be seen at the Recorder's Office or CHLA. Indexes to the books after 1844 dedicated to these groups have been digitized and are online at FamilySearch.org , click on Browse and then "Land and Property Records".

Cemetery Lot Documents (Indexes & record description - PDF)

Cemetery lots were recorded like other deeds, in regular deed books until 1859. See Deed Indexes no.1 to 8 for that period. After 1859 separate books were used. Lots for this period are recorded in Cemetery Lot Deed Books 1,2,3. Cemetery deeds have not been accepted for recording since 1934. Note that in the 1800s there were many German cemeteries which in World War I (1916) removed German from the name, like Vine Street and Walnut Hills today. Most of the "S" deeds are for Spring Grove. Some deeds are under 'Trustees of the ____ Cemetery'. Cemetery lot indexes are arranged in sets of alternate "To" and "From" pages. You need to search both "From" and "To" pages for the person of interest, as seller and as buyer.

The "From" pages list: purchaser name, "From", seller name, book # and page #.
The "To" pages list: seller name, "To", purchaser name, book # and page #.

The entries on the pages are alphabetical only by first letter of the last name or cemetery. Then the entries are recorded in the order they occur in the deed books. That is, book 1 from page 1 to the end, then book 2 from page 1 to the end, then book 3 to its last page. Letter S is split in half because so many cemetery names begin with the letter S.

Cemetery Lots, By-Name Indexes, 1859-1934:

Cem ABC Cem DEF Cem G Cem HIJKL Cem MNOPQR Cem S 1 Cem S 2 Cem TUVWXYZ

Miscellaneous Records (Indexes & record description - PDF)

Miscellaneous documents were recorded in regular deed books until 1859. See Deed Indexes no.1 to 8 for that period.

Some types of documents written in Miscellaneous books after 1859:

acceptance	affidavit	agent	agreement	anti-nuptial	appointment
articles of association	assignment	award	bankruptcy	bond	caveat
certificate of marriage	change of name	church decree	company	compromise	consent
consolidation	constitution	contract decision	declaration	decree	dedication
deposition	judgment	order of court	dower	forfeit	dying declaration

guarantee	lease	lien	specification	settlement	manufacturing
last will	partition	petition	patent	survey	mortgage
note	trustee	will	trust	receipt	proposition
testament	right of way

After 1859 separate books, Miscellaneous Books 1 and 2 (1858-1908), were used. These 2 books have been digitized and are online at FamilySearch.org. The Miscellaneous document indexes are arranged in alphabetical order, A to Z. The entries on the pages are alphabetical only by first letter of the surname. Then the entries are recorded in the order they occur in the document books. That is, book 1 from page 1 to the end, then book 2 from page 1 through the last page of book 2.

Miscellaneous Records, By-Name Indexes for books 1 and 2, 1859-1908:

Misc AB Misc CD Misc EFGH Misc IJKLM Misc NOPQR Misc STUVWXYZ

Miscellaneous Records, By-Name Indexes for books 3 and 4, 1908-1928:

Misc3 A-Z Misc4 A-Z

Organization and Church Papers Indexes & record description

Organization papers were recorded in regular deed books until 1844. See Deed Indexes no.1 to 8 for that period. After 1844 separate books, Organization Books 1 through 8, were used. The Organization papers indexes are arranged in alphabetical order, A to Z. The entries on the pages are alphabetical only by first letter of the name. Then the entries are recorded in the order they occur in the papers or books. That is, book 1 from page 1 to the end, then book 2 from page 1 to the end, etc. through last page of book 6.

Organization and Church Papers, By-Name Indexes, 1844-1919:

Organ. ABC Organ. DEFG Organ. HIJKLMNO Organ. PQRS Organ. TUVWXYZ

Partnership Documents Indexes & record description

Partnership documents were recorded in regular deed books until 1846. See Deed Indexes no.1 to 4 for that period. After 1846 separate books, Partnership Books 1 and 2 (1846-1934), were used. These 2 books have been digitized and are online at FamilySearch.org , click on Browse and then "Land and Property Records".The Partnership indexes are arranged in alphabetical order, A to Z. The entries on the pages are alphabetical only by first letter of the surname. Then the entries are recorded in the order they occur in the document books. That is, book 1 from page 1 to the end, then book 2 from page 1 through the last page of book 2.

Partnership Documents, By-Name indexes, 1846-1915:

Partner ABCDEF Partner GHIJKLMNOP Partner QRSTUVWXYZ

Powers of Attorney Indexes & record description

Powers of attorney were recorded in regular deed and mortgage books until 1848. After 1848, separate books, Powers of Attorney (P. of A.) Books 1 to 5, were used until 1881. However, P. of A. from 1794 to 1848 are also listed in index 1.

From 1881 to 1922, P. of A. books 6 to 11 were used. Index 2 is for books 6 thru 11. See the Recorder's website for deed and mortgage books and P. of A. books 1 thru 10.
Business P. o. A.'s are sometimes on last page of the indexes for that surname letter.
Also, books 1 to 9 and indexes to books 1-11 are also online at FamilySearch.org, click on Browse and then "Land and Property Records".
From 1922 to 1979, P. of A. were recorded in P. of A. books 12-50, indexed at the rear of each book. Books 51 to 71 were used from 1979 to 1988 and are not indexed or online. These are only available on microfilm at the Recorder's Office.

Note: In the indexes, if the book listed is A through W2, it is a deed book. If the book is 1 through 11, it is Power of Attorney book. The book is a mortgage book if the number is in the following list:

1820's: 20, 27, 31
1830's: 36, 37, 40, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 74
1840's: 77, 80, 83, 86, 89, 95, 98,103, 106, 110, 113, 118, 121, 124, 126, 131, 132, 135, 140, 141, 144, 147, 149
1850-1869:152, 156, 157, 160, 161, 164, 167, 170, 172, 174, 177, 180, 183, 184, 188, 193, 194, 196, 198, 203, 204, 207, 210, 213, 215, 217, 221, 222, 225, 226, 229, 230, 234, 238

Otherwise, if the number is between 21 and 239, it is a deed book. (The quality of the original index pages is poor to unreadable in some places. Contact me at preservation@hcgsohio.org I will try to get the names, book and page for you.)

Deed books A-W2 or 21-239, Mortgage books 20-238 & P. o. A. books 1 to 5, business

names that begin with B,C,H,M,S or W have a separate index 1, 1794-1881:

B C H M S W

Deed books A-W2, 21-239, Mortgage books 20-238 & P. o. A. books 1 to 5,

FROM Surname index 1, 1794 -1881:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z

Deed books A-W2, 21-239, Mortgage books 20-238 & P. o. A. books 1 to 5,

TO Surname index 1, 1794 -1881:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z

Powers of Attorney Books 6 to 11, FROM Surname index 2, 1881-1922:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z

Powers of Attorney Books 6 to 11, TO Surname index 2, 1881-1922:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z

Veteran (Army & Navy) Discharges Indexes & record description

Veteran discharges were recorded in regular deed books until 1859. See Deed Indexes no.1 to 8 for that period. After 1859 separate books, Miscellaneous Books 1 and 2, were used. Army discharges to 1865 are recorded in Miscellaneous Book 1, and Navy discharges to 1917 are recorded in Miscellaneous Books 1 & 2.

The Miscellaneous document indexes are arranged in alphabetical order, A to Z. The entries on the pages are alphabetical only by first letter of the name. Then the entries are recorded in the order they occur in the document books. That is, book 1 from page 1 to the end, then book 2 from page 1 through the last page of book 2.

Because of privacy, indexes are only available to the public to 1937. See the Recorder's website for additional information about veteran records.

Veteran Discharges, By-Name Indexes, Army 1859-1865, Navy 1859-1917:

Vet ABCDEFG vet HIJKLMNOPQR vet STUVWXYZ

Records Guide

An exhaustive, detailed guide to all records at the Recorder's Office is Hamilton County, Ohio, Guide to Recorder's Indexes and Documents, 1794-1988, by William H. Graver (Little Miami Publishing, Milford Ohio, 2003), available from the HCGS Shop.

Resources

• Jim Dempsey, “Hamilton County Recorder’s Office - Far More Than Deeds”, The Tracer, November 2011.

• Jim Dempsey, "Hamilton County Recorder’s Office Early Indexes and Records", The Tracer, September 2012

• Jim Dempsey, "Hamilton County Recorder’s Office Records to Be Added to FamilySearch", The Tracer, December 2013

page modified: May 2024