Virginia, County Marriage Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
This collection contains marriage records from county courthouses. The records include indexes, registers, bonds, licenses, and returns.

Coverage Table
As of 28 January 2021 this collection contained records from the following counties. Counties where no records are included are not listed. 105 records from West Virginia are also included in this collection. these counties are: Barbour (1), Fayette (1), Kanawha (96), Mason (2), McDowell (1), Raleigh (1), Upshur (1), and Wood (1). Owing to privacy restrictions not all records may be visible.

Digital Folder Number List
This collection contains a digital browse. Only the DGS numbers are displayed. Clicking the link in the DGS column will open a new window where you can see the images.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The following information may be found in the records: • 2

How Do I Search the Collection?
To use these records it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person at the time of marriage
 * The name of the intended spouse
 * The approximate date of marriage
 * The place where the marriage took place

View the Images
To view images in this collection:
 * 1) Look at the Digital Folder Number List section to determine the folder/film number for the images you want to see
 * 2) Go to the Collection Browse Page
 * 3) Click the Film number to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s marriage record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Virginia.
 * Virginia Guided Research
 * Virginia Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Virginia Research, 1880-Present

Family History Library Holdings

 * John Vogt and T. William Kethley, Jr. Marriage records in the Virginia State Library : a researcher's guide.Athens, Georgia : Iberian Pub. Co., c1988 FHL 975.5 V23v 1988
 * Virginia State Library and Archives. Marriage records, 1852-1935
 * Virginia. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Marriage registers, 1853-1935
 * Virginia. Department of Health. Marriage certificates, 1936-1988
 * Richmond City. Marriage records, 1878-1895

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940
 * Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935
 * Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988
 * Virginia, Orange County Marriage Records, 1757-1938
 * Virginia, Surry County Marriage Records, 1735-1950
 * Virginia, Various Counties, Marriage Bonds, 1706-1901

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.