Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Marriage Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. To access the collection, see Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Marriage Indexes, 1885-1951



Collection Time Period
This index covers recorded marriages in Philadelphia from 1857 to 1951.

Collection History
The city and county of Philadelphia were combined in 1854. In 1860, the city passed a law requiring the Board of Health to register all marriages. In 1885, Pennsylvania authorized the Orphans’ Court in each county to register marriages. By 1885, all marriages were supposed to be licensed in Pennsylvania.

Why This Collection Was
Marriage records validate a spouse’s legal claim to property. Marriage licenses grant permission for a marriage to be performed and replaced the previous requirements to post banns or intentions. The index was created to provide public officials with a quick and easy access to any specific marriage record.

Collection Reliability
The index is very reliable since it was created from the marriage records. As with any printed index there may be some typographical errors.

Collection Description
The index entries are type written and arranged in columns.

Collection Content
Genealogical facts in the marriage index are:


 * Surname
 * Given name (first name)
 * Surname of the spouse
 * Year of marriage
 * Sex
 * Marriage record or certificate number

How To Use The Collection
Marriage records are the best source for the identification of a family unit and marriage event details. The records are a great source for the legal names of the bride (including her maiden name) and groom. Other research clues may include the name of the officiator, parent’s names, ages, occupations, birth places, birth dates, residence, and consent statements.

Related Article
Pennsylvania Vital Records