Denmark Civil Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Denmark

What is in the Collection?
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, divorce decrees, and statements from people familiar with the couple. 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 sheriff the registrar in rural areas. Beginning in 1923, entries were recorded in books containing pre-printed forms. The forms used varied across the country, but the information recorded in them was fairly consistent. The counties of Tønder, Haderslev, Åbenrå, and Sønderborg belonged to Germany prior to 1920 and had a different system of registration.

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. Only records after 1921 are searchable in this collection. No records from Copenhagen county or city are included in the indexed records. Marriages before 1922 must be located by browsing the images.

Sample Images
Civil marriage records usually contain the following information:


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

Coverage Table
As of 18 June 2014 this collection contained the following records. To see detailed information showing the number of indexed records for communities in these counties Denmark Civil Marriages Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records).

How Do I Search the Collection?
Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have. This will provide possible matches. Compare the information in the results to what you already know to determine if you found the correct person.

Search by name by visiting the Collection Page. To begin your search you will need to know:


 * Name of the bride or groom
 * Identifying information such as the marriage date and place

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page then:
 * 1) Select "County"
 * 2) Select "Municipality"
 * 3) Select "Record Type and Inclusive Dates"

What Do I Do Next?
Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

With either search keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

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. "Denmark Civil Marriages, 1851-1961." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing Rigsarkivet (Danish National Archives), Copenhagen. Top of Page
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