England, Yorkshire, Allertonshire, Marriage Bonds and Allegations - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
Records in this collection cover the years 1667 to 1819.

Record Content
A marriage bond or allegation contains the following information:


 * Names of the marriage partners
 * Ages of the marriage partners
 * Occupations of the marriage partners
 * Marital statuses (whether single or widowed)
 * Parish of residence
 * Sometimes where the marriage was to take place
 * Sometimes a parent’s name or signature
 * If either of the marriage partners was a minor, the name of the parent or guardian who was consenting to the marriage

Record Description
Allegations are handwritten documents. Later allegations are handwritten on preprinted pages. Most of the originals have now been compiled and bound in volumes. The majority of the original marriage allegations have been preserved. While most are in the custody of the diocese, others may be found in the records of the Vicar General and the faculty office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Most are now in the county records office.

The Bishop of Durham’s transcripts of marriage bonds and allegations for Allertonshire Peculiar (see note below) includes the following Yorkshire parishes:


 * Birkby
 * Cowesby
 * Hutton Bonville
 * Leake
 * Nether Silton
 * North Otterington
 * Osmotherly
 * Thornton-le-Street

Note: A peculiar is a parish that is administered by a diocese other than the one where it is actually located. It is exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another. In this case, it is several parishes administered by the ecclesiastical authority of the Bishop of Durham.

A marriage allegation is a sworn statement filed by the marriage participants in connection with their license application. It is a statement that there is no known reason that the marriage should not take place. Marriage licenses could be granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, bishops, and archdeacons or their surrogates within their respective jurisdictions. The original allegations and bonds were held by the various church officials. Most were later transferred to county record offices. Many of the records are now published by the respective dioceses. The majority of English people would have been married by banns, not by license, and so would not have a marriage allegation.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

How to Use the Record
For people whose ancestors married by license, the allegation could be a valuable research tool. The allegation can help define family relationships and residences as well as personal information such as age and occupation. You can use the residence information for the bride and groom to look for their baptisms and to identify the children of this couple. The ages can help you calculate an approximate year of birth.

To begin your search, you must know the name of a marriage partner. If no index is available, you must know the jurisdiction where the allegation was filed and an approximate marriage date.

The following suggestions can help you find marriage allegation records for your ancestors:


 * Make sure you are searching in the right jurisdiction.
 * Check for indexes that will make your search easier.
 * When searching through the records, look for others with the same surname; they may be related.
 * Look for allegations of parents and earlier generations in the same jurisdiction.
 * Look for allegations of children in the same jurisdiction.

Record History
A marriage allegation is a sworn statement filed by the marriage participants in connection with their license application. It is a statement that there is no known reason that the marriage should not take place. Marriage licenses could be granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, bishops, and archdeacons or their surrogates within their respective jurisdictions. The original allegations and bonds were held by the various church officials. Most were later transferred to county record offices. Many of the records are now published by the respective dioceses. The majority of English people would have been married by banns, not by license, and so would not have a marriage allegation.

Why the Record Was Created
These records were created as part of the marriage licensing process. It was used by the marriage official as evidence that the bride and groom were eligible to be married.

Record Reliability
The information included in a marriage allegation is very reliable because it was provided by the bride and groom.

Related Websites
Durham County Record Office

Related Wiki Articles

 * Marriage Allegations, Bonds and Licences in England and Wales
 * Quick Research Links - England
 * Quick Research Links - Wales

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Citation Example for Records Found in This Collection
"England, Yorkshire, Allertonshire, Marriage Bonds and Allegation, 1667-1819." images, (https://familysearch.org: accessed 24 March 2011), 1775 &gt; DDR P ALM 1775 &gt; image 1 of 10, George Nelson and Jane Sailor, 6 January 1775; citing Marriage Bonds and Allegations, FHL digital images, 60 folders, Durham County Record Office, Durham, England.