Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection was indexed in partnership with the Indiana Genealogical Society. It consists of a name index and images of marriages recorded in the Indiana Territory and in the state of Indiana between 1811 and 2007. This is an ongoing project, so additional records will be added as indexing is completed. New images are being added as they become available. Early county marriage records were handwritten into bound books with multiple entries to a page. Pre-printed register books began to be used about 1850. By 1905, the printed format included only one entry on each page.

Clerks of the Circuit Court recorded marriages performed by religious or civil authorities. Records consisted of licenses, marriage returns and marriage entries. The state of Indiana began collecting marriages from the counties in 1958.

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

Prior to 1882
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage place
 * Names of the bride and groom

1882 to 1905
 * Age, birthplace and residence of bride and groom
 * Names of parents of bride and groom, including mothers' maiden name
 * Race, color and nationality of bride and groom
 * Occupation of bride and groom
 * Number of the marriage for bride and for groom

After 1905
 * Birth date of the bride and groom (instead of the age)
 * Birthplace and residence of parents of bride and groom
 * Occupation, color and nationality are no longer given

Coverage Table
The following table shows the number of records in this collection by county. Because of privacy laws not all records may be available.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The date of the event or the name of a parent or spouse

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County of Event - License or Marriage
 * 2) Select the Volume and Year 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.

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

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other vital records such as birth, baptism, and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Witnesses to marriages were usually family members

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * 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 Indiana.
 * Indiana Guided Research
 * Indiana Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1900 &#124; 1900-Present

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.