Canada, New Brunswick Provincial Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Nouveau-Brunswick mariages provinciaux

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1920 to 1950.

This collection contains records from New Brunswick, including:


 * Marriage Registers — 1789-1889
 * Marriage Certificates — 1887-1950
 * Delayed Registration of Marriages — 1920-1945
 * Returns of Marriages — 1887-1950

Records are written in a combination of French and English.

The provincial government of New Brunswick began recording births, marriages, and deaths in 1888. For 1810 to 1887 records, there is a "Late Registration" compilation which is indexed. It is located at the Provincial Archives. These records were registered after 1888.

Vital records are the responsibility of the provinces except for the registration of First Nations individuals (Native Canadians), which is a federal responsibility. In some provinces, authorities began registering births, marriages, and deaths since the 1860s. Complete registration in all the provinces and territories was achieved in the 1920s. After this date, almost all individuals who lived in Canada are recorded.

The information recorded in civil records of vital registration varied over time. Later records generally give more complete information. Vital records are usually written in English or French, but content varies by time period and province. For example, before 1907 in Ontario, parents’ names were not usually on death certificates, but they are after that date.

For a list of records by event and date currently published in the New Brunswick Provincial Returns of Marriages and Late Registrations, 1920-1950 collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
These records generally contain the following information:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's full name
 * Groom's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Groom's place of birth
 * Groom's religious denomination
 * Groom's literacy
 * Name of groom's father's and birth place
 * Maiden name of groom's mother and birth place
 * Bride's full name
 * Bride's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Bride's place of birth
 * Bride's religious denomination
 * Bride's literacy
 * Name of bride's father and birth place
 * Maiden name of bride's mother and birth place
 * Names of witnesses

How to Use the Record
Before you begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of bride or groom
 * Approximate year and place of marriage

Search the collection
To search the collection image by image select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate "Year or Year Range" ⇒Select the appropriate "Certificate Number Range" category which will take you to the images.

Look at the images one by one 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.

Using the Information
When you have found the information that you are looking for, you could:


 * Find information about the parents and where they were born.
 * Find the maiden name of the bride and her parents.
 * Use this information to look through the Canadian Census collections. That information could help you find out the parents approximate birth date, their birth places, and their children.

County marriage records written before 1888 can be found at the Provincial Archives for several counties.

For Help in Reading These Records
These records are in the French language. For help with reading the records, see the following wiki article:


 * French Wordlist

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?
Expand your search of marriage records to include family members, such as when and where children were born, records of brothers and sisters and possible relatives found in the area where your ancestor lived. This can help narrow down the place to search in other records.

See what records exist in the family, such as Bibles, letters, obituary clippings, or records from previous research by yourself or a family member

If you believe a marriage took place but cannot find a record of the marriage, search records of intent to marry.

Your ancestor might have lived in a different place from where you were looking for the birth, marriage, or death.

Your ancestor may have used a nickname or a different surname, or the registrar spelled the name wrong. See Name Variations in Canadian Indexes and Records.

Your ancestor might have lived at a slightly different time from the years you were looking.

For more information on how to use this record, go to Canada Vital Records.

Related Websites

 * New Brunswick Provincial Archives
 * Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
 * New Brunswick Vital Statistics

Related Wiki Articles

 * New Brunswick Vital Records
 * Canada Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"New Brunswick Provincial Returns of Marriages and Late Registrations, 1920-1945" images FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 7 June 2012), Marriage returns &gt; 1920 &gt; 1001-2329 &gt; Image 507 of 1357; citing James Arthur O'Brien and Winifred Isabelle Smith, September 21, 1920; New Brunswick Vital Statistics Branch. Provincial Returns of Marriages and Late Registrations. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Department of Health, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.