Florida, Marriage Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index and images to county marriages from the state of Florida.

These records include licenses, marriage applications, marriage certificates, and marriage packets. The records are arranged by county, date, and record type. Information on marriages is generally handwritten on pre-printed forms. Some eighteenth century bonds were written out by hand. During later years the information was typed. The actual forms differ from one county to another, but include the same basic information.

Marriages were recorded by the clerk of the district court for each county from the time the county was formed. Persons desiring to marry obtained a license that they presented to the minister or other person authorized to marry, such as a justice of the peace. Once the marriage was performed, the officiator sent a return to the clerk confirming that the marriage had occurred.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Marriage license / Affidavit
 * Names and ages of bride and groom
 * Dates and places of birth
 * Residence of groom
 * Residence of bride
 * Race of the bride and groom
 * Parents' names of groom
 * Parents' names of bride
 * Witnesses
 * Date and place where license issued
 * Date and place of marriage

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

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of marriage
 * The place where the marriage occurred
 * The name of the intended spouse

Search the Index
Florida Marriages, 1830-1957

Florida Marriages, 1830-1993

View the Images
Florida Marriages, 1830-1993 View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Return Type, Year Range and Volume or License Numbers 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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s marriage record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

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

 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Search for other vital records such as birth and death records

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Florida.
 * Florida Guided Research
 * Florida Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki 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:"Florida, County Marriages, 1830-1957." Database with images. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2018. State Archive, Tallahassee and clerk of courts, various counties.


 * Collection Citation:"Florida Marriages, 1830-1993." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 1 May 2017. County courthouses, Florida.

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