England and Wales Marriage Registration Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

 England

 Wales

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of an index to marriages registered in England and Wales beginning 1 July 1837 through 2005. The index is arranged in volumes by years with the entries listed alphabetically. These indexes can be used to order a copy of the actual certificate. Index courtesy of Findmypast.com.

Collection Contents
The marriage index may lists:


 * Surname and given name
 * Record type
 * Spouse’s surname (post-1911 marriage indexes)
 * Year, quarter, volume and page number
 * District
 * Line and event number
 * May also list other names

How Do I Search the Collection?
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, an approximated marriage date and some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

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.

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

 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index. To find a copy of the original record, visit the General Register Office page. (Send them to the custodian website if they can access records using that website. Unfortunately not all custodian websites allow access).
 * Use the information you have found to find the person in census records.

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 can help you find possible relatives.
 * Search the records of nearby areas. (Add this phrase when you are sure that people crossed boundaries to record events. Do not send someone to another country. Don’t waste their time).
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * - They might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name.
 * -A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

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.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

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