Iowa, Church and Civil Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to selected marriage records for the years 1837 to 1989.

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

Marriage
 * Name of the groom
 * Name of the bride, often including the maiden name
 * Name of the officiator
 * Names of the parents or guardians of the bride and groom
 * Date of the marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Birthplaces of the bride and groom
 * Residences of the bride and groom
 * Ages

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

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the bride or groom
 * The place and date of the marriage

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?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Witnesses to marriages were often family members

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 list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

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

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: "Iowa, Church and Civil Marriages, 1837-1989." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Multiple archives, United States.

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