Colorado Statewide Marriage Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of a card index created by the Division of Vital Statistics, Department of Health in Colorado. The index is arranged alphabetically by groom's name. Some cards are out of order. The collection covers the years 1853 to 2006.

Marriages were recorded by the clerk of the district court for each county from the time the county was formed. Persons desiring to marry obtained a license that they presented to the minister or other person authorized to marry, such as a justice of the peace. Once the marriage was performed, the officiator sent a return to the clerk confirming that the marriage had occurred.

Civil marriage records were created to legalize marital relationships and to protect the interests of the wife and other heirs to legal claims on property. The index was created as a quick access to the marriage records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Marriage
 * The name of the groom
 * The name of the bride, sometimes maiden name is included
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Age and race of the bride and groom
 * Marital status of the bride and groom
 * Name of person who performed the ceremony
 * Names of witnesses

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

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate marriage date

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Surname Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, look at the original record. It often has more information than the indexed record.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information to find other records such as birth, christening, land and death records
 * Search the marriage index to find additional family members
 * Search the family in census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relationships that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Colorado.
 * Colorado Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Known Issues With This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

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.


 * Collection Citation:"Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing Department of Health. State Archives, Denver.

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