How to Find United States Marriage Records

Start Here: Where Did the Marriage Occur?
To find a marriage record, choose the state where the marriage occurred:


 * What if you don't know the state? — Go to How to Estimate Marriage Information

Tips about Searching United States Marriage Records

 * Some couples were married in locations away from their home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. See the wiki page Gretna Greens.
 * Most marriages are recorded on the county level.
 * Most counties began recording marriages when the county was formed.
 * Many counties forward marriage records to state agencies.
 * Marriages recorded by state-level agencies vary widely by date and availability.
 * Some marriages may only be found in church records.

Frequently Asked Questions about United States Marriage Records
How do I find my ancestor’s marriage record?


 * Use the Finding US Marriage Records wiki page
 * Check online indexes and digital images
 * Check repositories, such as archives and libraries (FHL)
 * Obtain certificate from the government agency ($$)

Why would I want to search for a marriage record?


 * May give the exact date and place where the couple was married
 * May indicate date and/or place of birth for bride and groom
 * May list names and birthplaces of the bride’s and groom’s parents

What information does a marriage record include? State and county officials followed different laws when gathering marriage information. Usually the following was included:


 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Where the bride and groom were married.

Some records also contain:


 * Bride and groom's age at the time of marriage
 * Residence of the bride and groom
 * Birth date and/or place of the bride and groom
 * Names of parents
 * Birthplaces of parents
 * Occupation
 * Marital status of bride and groom--single, widowed, divorced

More information about US Marriage Records can be found on United States Vital Records wiki page.

Questions to Ask About Marriage Records

 * Are records available for the dates when I would expect my ancestor to be getting married?
 * Is the marriage database complete? Does it include all counties in the state?
 * Does the marriage database contain images to the records which I can see online?
 * Is the marriage database an index only? Will I need to order a film to see the original marriage record?
 * Have I looked beyond the marriage date and names of the bride and groom for more family information that the record may contain?
 * Is there more than one type of marriage record in the county? Does an additional county marriage record contain more information about my family?

Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records