Ohio, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of index and images of county marriage records within the state of Ohio, acquired from local courthouses. The records consist of:
 * Licenses
 * Certificates
 * Declarations
 * Affidavits
 * Loose documents
 * Abstracts
 * Licenses to perform marriages

The records are generally arranged by:
 * County, volume and date
 * License number
 * Page number

There is a name index to marriage records from the state of Ohio. Microfilm copies of some of these records are available at the Family History Library and some FamilySearch Centers. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later. Images containing social security numbers of living individuals are restricted and are not displayed. European Union member-country passports were sometimes photocopied and included with marriage license documents and are restricted. Images within the same digital folder as a restricted image are also unavailable.

County marriage records have been kept from about the time the county was formed to the present. The marriages were recorded by clerks of the various courts. In Ohio the probate court usually recorded marriages, although the court of common pleas also recorded some early marriages. In 1949 the state assumed responsibility for recording marriages.

Most marriages in a county were recorded. However, some religious groups may not have reported church marriages to civil authorities. General compliance with the civil registration process increased after civil registration began in 1949.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Date and place where license issued
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Date marriage was recorded
 * Name of officiator
 * Ages of bride and groom
 * Bride and groom's place of residence
 * Bride and groom's place of birth
 * Occupation
 * Names of parents, including maiden name of mother
 * Names of witnesses, if any
 * Title of officiator

Coverage Map
A coverage map of cut-off dates for marriages in Ohio County is found at Ohio County Marriages Restriction Dates.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the bride or groom
 * The date and location of the marriage

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County
 * 2) Select  the  Record Type, Year Range and Volume 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.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

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

 * Search for other vital records such as birth and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find immigration and probate records
 * Use the information in each record to find additional family members in the census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials
 * Consult the Ohio Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Ohio.
 * Ohio Guided Research
 * Ohio Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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.