Pennsylvania, Wayne County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes digital images of marriage records, 1907-1950 and naturalization records, 1907-1945 from the Wayne County Prothonotary.

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

Record Content
Marriage records may include any of the following depending upon the time period:


 * Full names of the bride and groom
 * Birth dates and places of the bride and groom
 * Occupations
 * Current residence
 * Previous marriage
 * Whether or not the parties are related
 * Date of the license
 * Race
 * Name of the father and mother
 * Birthplaces of the father and mother
 * Mother’s maiden name

Naturalization records generally include the following:


 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Birth place
 * Spouse's name
 * Children's names
 * Birth date and place of spouse
 * Birth dates and places of children
 * Port of arrival
 * Date of arrival
 * Vessel of arrival
 * Occupation
 * Physical Description
 * Marriage date
 * Age
 * Residence
 * Last foreign address
 * Marital status

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


 * The place where the event occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom

Search the Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record" category ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" category which takes you to the images

Search the collection by 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.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker, mortuary, or cemetery could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died 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.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?
If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites
Wayne County Pennsylvania Genealogy

Related Wiki Articles
Wayne County, Pennsylvania

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.

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