How to Find Maryland Marriage Records

Finding Maryland Marriage Records

 * Colonial marriages were recorded by the Church of England and other religious bodies
 * Marriages are kept by the circuit court for each county and begin in 1777 or at the creation of the county
 * 1990 - county circuit court clerks began sending copies to the state

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Next Step: When did the marriage occur?

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 * Marriage Records
 * Choose a time period:
 * Before 1777
 * 1777 to 1990
 * 1990 to Present
 * Marriage year unknown


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Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1777

 * Colonial marriages were recorded by the Church of England and other religious bodies

Search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s marriage date and place:

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Marriages 1777 to 1990

 * Marriages are kept by the circuit court for each county and begin in 1777 or at the creation of the county

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records.

STEP TWO: Obtain the Record
If you did not find your ancestor in the databases above, follow the instructions below:

Obtain the Record
PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage


 * If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county circuit court or Maryland State Archives.
 * If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records


 * A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee (up to 2003) from Maryland State Archives.

OR


 * A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the county circuit court.


 * View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:

Some images of county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.


 * Search the FamilySearch Catalog by county.
 * Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
 * Some microfilms may be available to view at a local FamilySearch Center.

Marriages 1990 to Present

 * 1990 - county circuit court clerks began sending copies to the state
 * Currently, there are no online indexes to Maryland marriages for the years 1990 to the present

Obtain the Record
PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage


 * If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county circuit court, Maryland State Archives, or the Maryland Department of Health.
 * If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records


 * A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee (up to 2003) from Maryland State Archives.

OR


 * A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the county circuit court.

OR


 * A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the Maryland Department of Health.

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Wiki Articles

 * Learn more about U.S. marriage records
 * How to find U.S. birth records
 * How to find U.S. marriage records
 * How to find U.S. death records
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States, How to Use Marriage Records
 * United States Marriage Records
 * United States Vital Records
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
 * Locating United States Vital Records


 * American Marriages Before 1699 ($)
 * Maryland Revolutionary records : pension claims and bounty land applications, but also includes 1,000 marriages ($)
 * U.S., Hochheimer Marriage Records for Maryland, 1850-1900 (Jewish)($)