Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is an index of marriages for the years 1695 to 1910 taken from church records and civil registration. This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index. Each entry in this index has a source listed which includes a batch number. You will need to trace the batch number for the individual entry to learn its source. Please see the following wiki articles for more information on batch numbers: *IGI If an FHL film number is given in the entry look up the film number in the FamilySearch Catalog to determine from which collection the record was taken.
 * IGI Batch Number Descriptions
 * IGI Batch Numbers for the British Isles and North America

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

Coverage Table
This coverage table shows the number of records in this collection by county. Records where the exact county could not be determined are listed under Massachusetts in the table. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period. This collection also includes marriages performed in other localities which were registered with the state. The following table lists the number of records for these localities.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the bride or groom at the time of marriage
 * The date of the marriage
 * The place where the marriage occurred

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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the birthdate or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the birthdate or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify

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

 * The records are very brief, so it is easy to confuse individuals in the index. In addition, an individual may be listed multiple times with slight spelling variations of their name
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Be aware that with any index, transcription errors may occur

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

Family History Library Holdings

 * Births, marriages (1841-1895), and deaths (1841-1899)
 * Massachusetts vital records, 1896-1897, 1899-1900
 * Register of births, marriages, deaths, 1901-1905
 * Massachusetts birth, marriage, death records, 1906-1910, from town clerks
 * Massachusetts vital records deaths, births, marriages, 1911-1915
 * Massachusetts, birth records, 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Divorce Index, 1952-1970

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920 Vital Records 1916-1920

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Guide to the public vital records of Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts : Historical Records Survey, 1942
 * Carroll D. Wright. Report on the custody and condition of the public records of parishes, towns, and counties. Boston, Massachusetts : Wright & Potter, 1889

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.