How to Find Utah Marriage Records

How To Find U.S. Marriage Records How To Find Utah Marriage Records

Finding Utah Marriage Records

 * Civil registration of marriages was not required in Utah until 1887.

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 * Marriage Records
 * Choose a time period:
 * Before 1887
 * 1888 to 1966
 * 1967 to Present
 * Marriage year unknown


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Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1887

 * Civil registration of marriages was not required in Utah until 1887; however, some records of marriages before 1887 are in the justice of the peace or probate court records. These early marriage records were usually interfiled with other court matters.
 * Use Pre-1887 Sources listed by Utah Counties in Western States Marriage Records Index
 * Most of these court records are currently at either the county clerk's office or the Utah State Archives (see Marriage Records Research Guide). Some are also in the personal journals of individual judges. The Family History Library has pre-1887 court records for a number of Utah counties.
 * Many early marriages were performed in the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before the government recorded marriages, marriages or sealings were only recorded in temple records. Other marriages may have been recorded in Church records or journals of the bishops.
 * For vital records of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see the Tracing LDS Ancestors.

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records.



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Marriages 1888 to 1966

 * In 1887, the Edmunds-Tucker Act required that marriage records be kept in the office of the probate court. Beginning in the late 1890s they were kept by the county clerks. County marriage records from 1887 to the present are currently found in either the county clerk's office or the Utah State Archives. The Family History Library has film copies of these records to about 1960 for most counties. Check the county for marriage records and which records are being digitized.
 * Most marriage records show names of bride and groom, residences, and ages. Names of witnesses can help identify relatives or neighbors. Later records may include birth information and parents' names.

Marriage Records on Microfilm Some county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local FamilySearch Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) to see what is available.


 * Search the FHLC by county.
 * Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
 * For a small fee, order the microfilm to view at a local FamilySearch Center.

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Marriages 1967 to Present
Marriage Records on Microfilm Some county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local FamilySearch Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) to see what is available.


 * Search the FHLC by county.
 * Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
 * For a small fee, order the microfilm to view at a local FamilySearch Center.

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Wiki Articles

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 * Utah_Marriages_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)/Known_Issues