Nebraska, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection is a name index with images of county marriages in Nebraska that includes records from 1833-1994. The type of record and time period will vary across counties and may include marriage registers, indexes, returns, licenses, and certificates.

Early marriages were handwritten entirely. Beginning around 1880 printed forms were completed in handwriting. Alphabetical indexed lists may appear at the beginning of image collections. These indexes are alphabetized by the last name of groom and include the name of the bride and the page number of the marriage record.

Coverage Map
To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Nebraska, marriages, click here.

Record Content
The information found varies by record. You may find any of the following:


 * Name
 * Age
 * Estimated birth year
 * Birth city/town, county, state, and country
 * Marital status
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage city/town, county, and State
 * Parents’ names
 * Previous spouse
 * Film and image number
 * Race
 * Titles
 * Reference ID page/volume/entry/certificate number

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your Ancestor’s name
 * Other identifying information such as their residence, age, names of other family members and relationships.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. 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.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the event location to find family in census, church, and land records.
 * Use the county and the certificate number to obtain a copy of the original marriage certificate.
 * Use birth information to locate birth certificate.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify siblings and other relatives who may have been married in the same county.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Try alternative search methods such as filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then do the search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring locality.

Related Websites

 * Nebraska GenWeb Project
 * State Historical Society
 * GenWed
 * Nebraska Marriages
 * Nebraska Marriage Records ($)

Related Wiki Articles

 * Nebraska Genealogy
 * Nebraska Vital Records
 * How to Find Nebraska Marriage Records

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation :