Denmark Civil Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The earliest records are handwritten in narrative style. Beginning in 1923, entries were recorded in books containing preprinted forms. These records cover only individuals who were not members of -- or who chose not to marry in -- the state church. Consequently, the population coverage is quite low. These records do not cover any parts of Denmark that were under German administration to 1920. These counties were Tønder, Haderslev, Åbenrå, and Sønderborg.

The records in this collection are for the years 1851-1959. Please note this collection may have indexes for records that are not included. For example, this collection contains an index to civil marriages in Copenhagen City, 1851-1896, but only has records for 1851-1875.

Record Content


These are the key genealogical facts found in most Danish Civil Marriage records:


 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Marriage date
 * Ages, and sometimes the birthdates, of the bride and groom
 * Residence of bride and groom
 * Occupation of the bride and groom

How to Use the Record
Civil marriage records are an excellent source for validating the date and place of marriage. If a marriage record for a couple cannot be found in the church registers, the civil marriage registers are an excellent source to check.

Record History
Civil marriages were first allowed in Denmark in 1851. The marriage was recorded with the district sheriff in rural areas and with the magistrate in cities. The marriage was recorded in special notarial registers. These registers vary in content and arrangement by area. Some include a considerable number of supporting documents, such as baptismal certificates, while others record only the names and residences of the bridal couple. In 1923 the registration process was changed by legislation enacted in 1922. This made the mayor the registering officer in the cities and the parish sherrif the registrar in rural areas. The registration form was also standardized into a columnar format. Regions of Denmark that belonged to Germany had a separate system of registration.

Civil registration of marriage legitimized marriage for members of the population who were not adherents of the state church.

Related Websites

 * Danish Genealogy Records
 * Denmark Genealogy Links

Related Wiki Articles

 * Denmark
 * Denmark: Civil Registration-Vital Records
 * Denmark Birth, Marriage, and Death Search Strategies 1467 - Present

Citation for This Collection
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Citation Examples for Record Found in FamilySearch Historical Collections
The following are examples of records found in different collections. Please help us by replacing these examples with a citation for a record you have found in this collection.


 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

When the citation has been replaced with a citation specific to the collection described, please change the heading to "Citation Example for Records Found in This Collection".