Summary of Marriage Records in the United States by State

United States U.S. Vital Records  Summary of Marriage Records in the United States by State

Places to look for Marriage Records




 * State Archives
 * City and County civil registrations
 * Church records of marriages
 * Online records sites like Ancestry ($), Fold3 ($), World Vital Records ($), Heritage Quest ($).
 * FamilySearch in the Records Search and Historic Books.
 * Newspapers often listed articles about marriages
 * Family Bibles and personal histories
 * Obituaries sometimes give marriage dates
 * Submitted genealogies posted by others
 * Google and other web site search sites, and don't forget to search Google Books

Look for more detailed information on each of these areas in the Wiki under each State page by clicking on the link for each of these different types of Records. You can also find more information on marriage records at United States Vital Records.

Places to Search for a Maiden Name


Marriage records: application, license, certificate (Church and Civil)

Cemetery records: burial, saxton, purchase and maintenance of plot, headstone

Census records: Federal and State

Land records: deeds, morgages

Church records: death, marriage and christening, membership

Probate records: Will,

Newspaper records: birth, marriage and death announcements, society pages

Death records: certificate (Church and Civil)

Military records: service and pension, elistment,

Naming patterns: name passed on as a given or middle name, name multi generational

Summary of online Marriage Records by State
For more details about marriage records in each state click on the State below to go to the State Vital Records page for that state. This listing is just a summary of places online where you can search for marriage records for each State.

Alabama

 * To 1800 Alabama Marriages to 1825 - $
 * 1800-1969 Alabama Marriage Collection 1800-1969 - $
 * 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages 1809-1920 - $
 * 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 - free
 * 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 - free
 * More Alabama Marriage Databases - $
 * Some more Alabama Marriages Databases - $

Alaska

 * 1816-1959 Alaska, Vital Records, 1816-1959 - free
 * Western States Marriage Index - free

Arizona

 * 1864-1982 Arizona Marriage Collection 1864-1982 - $
 * 1865-1949 Arizona Marriages, 1865-1949 - free
 * 1865-1972 Arizona, County Marriage Records, 1865-1972 - $
 * 1871-1964 Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964 - free
 * 1888-1908 Arizona, Select Marriages, 1888-1908 - $
 * Western States Marriage Index - free

Arkansas

 * To 1850 Arkansas Marriages to 1850 - $
 * 1779-1992 Arkansas Marriages, 1779-1992 - $
 * 1820-1949 Arkansas Marriages, 1820-1949 - $
 * 1837-1944 Arkansas Marriages, 1837-1944 - free
 * 1837-1957 Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 - free
 * 1837-1957 Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 - $
 * 1851-1900 Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900 - $
 * 1933-1939 Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939 - free
 * 1933-1939 Arkansas Marriage, Index 1933-1939 - $

California

 * 1809-2011 Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 Results - $
 * 1850-1877 California Marriages, 1850-1877 - $
 * 1850-1941 California, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941 - $
 * 1850-1945 California Marriages, 1850-1945 - free
 * 1850-1945 California, Select Marriages, 1850-1945 - $
 * 1850-1952 California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 - free
 * 1949-1959 California, Marriage Index, 1949-1959 - $
 * 1960-1985 California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 - free
 * 1960-1985 California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985 - $
 * More California Marriage Databases - $
 * Western States Marriage Index - free

Colorado

 * 1809-2011 Web: Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 - $
 * 1853-2006 Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006 - free
 * 1859-1900 Colorado Marriages 1859-1900 - $
 * 1861-1868 Arapahoe County including Denver Colorado Marriage Records 1861-1868 is searchable online at the Colorado State Archives.


 * 1864-1944 Gilpin County Marriage Index 1864-1944 is searchable online at the Colorado State Archives.
 * 1864-1995 Colorado, County Marriages, 1864-1995 - free
 * 1900-1030 Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 - $
 * Western States Marriage Index - free

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index (FamilySeach Historical Records)

Connecticut

 * 1630-1997 Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997 - free
 * 1640-1939 Connecticut Marriages, 1640-1939 - free
 * Pre-1870 Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) - $
 * 1959-2001 [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1936542 Connecticut Marriage Index, 1959-2001} - free
 * 1959-2001 Connecticut Marriage Index 1959-2001 - $
 * Pre-1970 Connecticut Town Marriage Records pre-1970 - $
 * More Connecticut Marriages Databases - $

Delaware

 * 1645-1899 Delaware Marriages 1645-1899 - $
 * 1650-1974 Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974 - free
 * 1713-1894 Delaware Marriages and Marriage Licenses, 1713-1894 - free
 * 1713-1919 Delaware Marriages, 1713-1919 - free
 * 1744-1912 Delaware Marriage Records 1744-1912 - $
 * 1806-1933 Delaware Marriage Records, 1806-1933 - $
 * 1913-1954 [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1609795 Delaware Marriage Records, 1913-1954} - free
 * More Delaware Marriage Databases - $

District of Columbia or Washington DC

 * 1801-1825 Washington, D.C., Marriages, 1801-1825 - $
 * 1811-1950 District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950 - free
 * To 1825 Washington DC Marriages to 1825 - $
 * 1826-1850 Washington, D.C. Marriages, 1826-50 - $
 * 1830-1921 District of Columbia Marriages, 1830-1921 - free
 * 1830-1921 District of Columbia, Select Marriages, 1830-1921 - $
 * 1826-1850 Washington DC Marriages 1826-1850 - $

Florida

 * 1822-1850 Florida Marriages, 1822-1850 - $
 * 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 Florida Marriage Index, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 - free
 * 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 Florida Marriage Records 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 - $
 * 1830-1993 Florida Marriages, 1830-1993 - free
 * 1837-1974 Florida Marriages, 1837-1974 - free
 * More Florida Marriage Databases - $

Georgia

 * To 1850 Georgia Marriages to 1850 - $
 * 1699-1944 Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944 - $
 * 1785-1950 Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950 - free
 * 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages, 1808-1967 - free
 * 1828-1978 Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978 - $
 * 1851-1900 Georgia Marriages 1851-1900 - $
 * More Georgia Marriages Databases - $

Idaho
Idaho Marriages 1842-1996 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Western States Marriage Index contains a significant number of Idaho marriage records and is searchable online for free. Virtually all pre-1930 entries recorded in local counties have been entered and many eastern Idaho counties have been extracted as late as the 1950's. See website for detailed listing by county.

Illinois
Illinois Marriages 1851-1900 is searchable online at Ancesry.com

Illinois Marriages 1790-1860 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Illinois Marriages to 1850 is searchable online at Ancesty.com

Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763-1900 is searchable online for free at the Illinois State Archives

Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index 1930-1960 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Piatt County, Illinois Marriage and Cemetery Records 1841-1852 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Cook County, Illinois Marriages 1871-1920 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records 1729-1956 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Indiana
Indiana Marriages to 1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1941 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Indiana Marriages 1802-1892 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Marriage records of Kosciusko County, Indiana is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Marriage records St. Joseph County, South Bend, Indiana is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Whitley County, Indiana Marriage Records 1838-1860 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

More Indiana Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Indiana Marriages through 1850 is searchable online at the Indiana State Library

Indiana Marriages 1993-2002 is searchable online at the Indiana State Library

Iowa
Iowa Marriages to 1850 is searchable online at Ancesty.com

Iowa Marriages 1851-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Early Iowa Marriages 1850 and Before is searchable online at the Iowa GenWeb project

Kansas
Kansas Marriage Index 1854-1873 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Leavenworth County, Kansas Marriage Records 1900-1920 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Kentucky
Kentucky Marriages 1851-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Kentucky Marriage Records, 1852-1914 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Kentucky Marriage Index 1973-1999 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Kentucky Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Kentudky Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana Marriage Records Index 1831-1925 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Louisiana Marriage Records 1851-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Marriage contracts of French Colonial Louisiana is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Maine
Maine Marriages 1892-1966 is searchable online at World Vital Records

Main Marriages 1892-1996 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Maine Marriages are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Maryland
Maryland Marriages 1655-1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Maryland Marriages 1667-1899 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Maryland Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Maryland Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Marriages 1633-1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Massachusetts Town Marriage Records is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Massachusetts Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Massachusetts Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Vital Records of Massachusetts to the year 1850 books are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Vital Records of Massachusetts to the year 1850 books are searchable online at Google Books

Michigan
Michigan Marriage Records 1870-1887 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Michigan Marriages 1851-1875 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Michigan Marriages to 1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Michigan Marriages 1868-1925 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Minnesota
Minnesota Marriage Collection 1958-2001 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Mississippi
Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Mississippi Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Mississippi Marriages Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Missouri
Missouri Marriages 1766-1983 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Missouri Marriage Records 1805-2002 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Missouri Marriages 1851-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Missouri Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Missouri Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Missouri Marriage Lookups online database contains marriages from several counties in Missouri

Montana
Western States Marriage Index contains extensive listing of pre-1900 Montana marriages for most counties and some extracted entries for post-1900. The site is searchable online for free.

Nebraska
Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Douglas County, Nebraska Marriages 1854-1881 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Nevada
Western States Marriage Index contains an extensive listing of pre-1930 Nevada Marriages and is searchable online for free. See website for details listed by county.

Nevada Marriages 1860-1987 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Nevada Marriage Index 1956-2005 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Nevada Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

New Hampshire
Some New Hampshire Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

New Jersey
Some New Jersey Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

New Mexico
New Mexico Marriages 1727-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Western States Marriage Index contains some very early New Mexico marriages and is searchable online for free.

New York
New York City Marriages 1600-1800s is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some New York Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more New York Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

North Carolina
North Carolina Marriage Collection 1741-2004 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other North Carolina Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more North Carolina Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Ohio
Ohio Marriages 1803-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Ohio Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Ohio Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Ohio Diocese of Toleto Catholic Parish Records 1784-2004 is searchable online for free at FamilySearch Record Search.

Oklahoma
Payne County, Oklahoma Marriages 1894-1899 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Oregon
Western States Marriage Index contains extensive holdings of eastern Oregon county marriage records and is searchable online for free. Some early marriage entries for western counties are also included. See website for details.

Oregon Marriages 1906-1920 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Oregon Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Marriages to 1810 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Pennsylvania Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Pennsylvania Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Marriage Indexes 1885-1951 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Marriages 1636-1930 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Rhode Island Marriage Databases are searchable online at World Vital Records

Vital Records of Rhode Island 1636-1850 book is searchable online at Google Books

South Carolina
South Carolina Marriages 1641-1965 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some South Carolina Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more South Carolina Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

South Dakota
South Dakota Marriages 1905-1949 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Tennessee
Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some Tennessee Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Tennessee Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Texas
Texas Marriages 1968-2003 is searchable online at World Vital Records.

Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2002 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Texas Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Genlookups.com for Texas marriages

Utah
Western States Marriage Index contains an extensive collection of Utah marriages with many counties extracted into the 2006 time frame. See website for detailed listings by county. It is searchable online for free.

Vermont
Vermont Marriage Index 1981-1984 and 1989-2001 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Virginia
Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Virginia Marriages 1851-1929 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Virginia Marriages to 1850 is searchable online at Ancesty.com

Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records 1639-1850 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some other Virginia Marriage Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Some more Virginia Marriages Databases are searchable online at Ancestry.com

Freedmen's Bureau Virginia Marriages 1815-1866 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Washington
Western States Marriage Index contains some Washington Marriages and is searchable online for free.

Washington Marriages 1802-1902 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

West Virginia
West Virginia Marriage Records 1863-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

West Virginia Marriages 1853-1970 is searchable online at FamilySearch Record Search for free.

Wisconsin
Wisconsin Genealogy Index pre-1907 is searchable online at the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Wisconsin Marriages pre-1907 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Wisconsin Marriages 1835-1900 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Wisconsin Marriages 1973-1997 is searchable online at Ancestry.com

Wyoming
Western States Marriage Index contains a considerable listing of early Wyoming marriages and is searchable online for free. For details see website.