Marriage Records Database and Directory for the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Genealogy Information in Marriage Records
Marriage records are part of a larger group of important genealogical records called Vital Records. These records tell us fundamental information about our ancestors.
Approximately half of the ancestors we research are married women, whom upon marriage change their last name to the husband's. This makes some unique problems for genealogists. Some of our female ancestors simply appear when they marry into the family, and others just disappear when they change their last name. Sometimes finding a bride's age and maiden name on a marriage record is the ONLY way to find information about our ancestors! The common (and easiest to find) records of a marriage are:
- The marriage license, a sort of "Permit to be Married" were filed before the event in the town or county where the marriage was to take place. (Custom has always been that the groom traveled to the town where the bride resides for the wedding.) These licenses were returned to the clerk of the town or county in which the marriage took place to be recorded into a Marriage Register or Marriage Book indexed by date and year. This is how the clerks find records when you order a copy. We have recently started adding addresses to the town and county clerks to make this easier for you.
- The marriage certificate, issued to the bride and groom after the wedding. This was usually kept with the family records such as birth certificates, deeds, wills, ect.
Information gleaned from marriage records will include: · Groom's full name, age, and occupation · Bride's maiden name, age, and occupation · Date of marriage Other information included in some marriage records: · Age and birth date of Bride and Groom · Occupation · Single, widowed, or divorced ·
Residence at the time of the marriage · Parents names and occupations · Witnesses and officials names · Where the marriage took place |