Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection was indexed in partnership with the Indiana Genealogical Society. It consists of a name index of marriages recorded in the Indiana Territory and in the State of Indiana between 1811 and 1959.

This collection includes searchable index data for marriage returns and licenses from the following counties:

Microfilm copies of original records are available at the Family History Library and at family history centers. Currently this collection is 82% complete. Additional records will be added as they are completed. Additional records will be added as they are completed.

Early county marriage records were handwritten into bound books with multiple entries to a page. Preprinted register books began to be used about 1850. By 1905, the printed format included only one entry on each page.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Genealogical facts in county marriage entries before 1882 are:


 * Marriage date
 * Marriage place
 * Names of the bride and groom

Marriage records from 1882 to 1905 may give the additional information:


 * Age, birthplace and residence of bride and groom
 * Names of parents of bride and groom, including mothers' maiden name
 * Race, color and nationality of bride and groom
 * Occupation of bride and groom
 * Number of the marriage for bride and for groom

Marriage records after 1905 may contain the additional information:


 * Birth date of the bride and groom (instead of the age)
 * Birthplace and residence of parents of bride and groom
 * Occupation, color and nationality are no longer given.

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Approximate marriage date
 * Place of the event

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Using the Information
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. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the place of residence to search for other records, such as church and land records, that may have information on parents and siblings.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Compiling the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This may also help you to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information in marriage records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one marriage record to another record.
 * If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, check for variant spellings of the surnames.

General Information About Marriage Records
Clerks of the Circuit Court recorded marriages performed by religious or civil authorities. Records consisted of licenses, marriage returns and marriage entries. The state of Indiana began collecting marriages from the counties in 1958.

The marriage date, residence, and other facts that were current at the time the marriage occurred are quite reliable, though there is still a chance of misinformation. Other data such as age or birth place have more chance of error due to the lapse of time between marriage and birth.

Related Websites

 * Indiana Genweb Project
 * Indiana Genealogy Links

Related Wiki Articles

 * Indiana
 * Indiana Vital Records
 * Indiana Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.