Nebraska, Box Butte County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes marriage records from Box Butte County for the years 1885-2015.

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

Record Content
The information found in Marriage records varies by record. You may find any of the following:


 * Name
 * Age
 * Estimated birth year
 * Birth city/town, county, state, and country
 * Marital status
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage city/town, county, and State
 * Parents’ names
 * Previous spouse
 * Film and image number
 * Race
 * Titles
 * Reference ID page/volume/entry/certificate number

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your Ancestor’s name
 * Approximate marriage year

Search the Collection
To browse the images in this collection: ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Record Category' category ⇒ Select the 'Record Type, Volume, and Year Range' category which takes you to the images.

Look at each image 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. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information

 * Marriage records sometimes note witnesses or bondsmen. In some cases, witnesses or bondsmen were relatives of the bride or groom. Remember to note those individuals because they may help identify the extended family.
 * Use the ages of the bride and groom to estimate their birth years.
 * Couples were usually married in the locality where one or both parties lived. Search records from that locality for other information about the family such as census records, marriages of siblings, and family birth records.
 * Sometimes marriage records note the names of the bride and groom’s parents. Use this information to extend your pedigree a generation.
 * Occupations were often the best way to differentiate between individuals of the same name. Note the occupations listed to ensure that you have identified the correct individual as your ancestor.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Marriage was often times both a religious and a civil contract. Search for records created by both jurisdictions because they may provide different information.
 * If the officiator of the marriage was a minister, you may be able to determine to which religion or congregation your ancestor belonged. This information can lead to more records about the family
 * If no age is listed try to determine the legal age of marriage for that jurisdiction. This will provide a minimum age for your ancestor at time of marriage.
 * Many marriage forms state that the bride and groom were of a certain age (commonly 21 or 18 years old). This may not be your ancestor’s age but a statement that the couple is of legal age to marry.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor

 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they were married, then try searching the records of a nearby locality.
 * If the bride and groom were from different localities try searching the records of both places for the marriage record. It was common for a couple to be married in the bride’s home town.
 * Because marriage could be either a civil or religious event, try searching both church and civil records for the couple’s marriage record.
 * Sometimes marriage records for a particular locality are missing. Try searching newspapers for an announcement of the marriage.
 * When a widow was applying for her deceased husband’s military service, she frequently had to prove that she was married to the soldier. This was often done by sending a copy of the marriage certificate, county marriage register, or page from the family bible. Because marriage records for a locality may be missing, the widow’s pension application may be the best place to locate marriage information.

Related Websites

 * Nebraska GenWeb Project
 * State Historical Society
 * Gen Web
 * Nebraska Marriages

Related Wiki Articles

 * How to Find Nebraska Marriage Records
 * Nebraska, County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Nebraska Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Nebraska Vital Records
 * Box Butte County, Nebraska Genealogy
 * Nebraska Online Genealogy Records

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: