Denmark Civil Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

Denmark

What is in This Collection?
Civil marriages were first allowed in Denmark in 1851. The marriage was recorded with the district sheriff in rural areas and with the magistrate in cities. The marriage was recorded in special notarial registers. These registers vary in content and arrangement by area. Some include a considerable number of supporting documents, such as baptismal certificates, divorce decrees, and statements from people familiar with the couple. Others record only the names and residences of the bridal couple. In 1923 the registration process was changed by legislation enacted in 1922. This made the mayor the registering officer in the cities and the parish sheriff the registrar in rural areas. Beginning in 1923, entries were recorded in books containing pre-printed forms. The forms used varied across the country, but the information recorded in them was fairly consistent. The counties of Tønder, Haderslev, Åbenrå, and Sønderborg belonged to Germany prior to 1920 and had a different system of registration.

Please note this collection may have indexes for records that are not included. For example, this collection contains an index to civil marriages in Copenhagen City, 1851-1896, but only has records for 1851-1875. Only records after 1921 are searchable in this collection. No records from Copenhagen county or city are included in the indexed records. Marriages before 1922 must be located by browsing the images.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Danish. For help reading these records see the following:


 * Denmark Handwriting
 * Danish Genealogical Word List
 * Denmark Language and Languages

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Civil marriage records usually contain the following information:


 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Marriage date
 * Ages, and sometimes the birth dates of the bride and groom
 * Residence of bride and groom
 * Occupation of the bride and groom

Coverage Table
As of 18 June 2014 this collection contained the following records. To see detailed information showing the number of indexed records for communities in these counties Denmark Civil Marriages Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records).

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:


 * Name of the bride or groom
 * Identifying information such as the marriage date and place

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Municipality
 * 3) Select Record Type and Inclusive Dates 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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing this Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to locate the individual in church records, if appropriate

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

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Denmark.
 * Denmark Guided Research
 * Denmark Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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:"Denmark Civil Marriages, 1851-1961." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing Rigsarkivet (Danish National Archives), Copenhagen.