How to Find Mississippi Marriage Records
Finding Mississippi Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
- Marriages are kept by the circuit clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county
- 1926 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state
- Gap in the state records from June 30, 1938 to January 1, 1942 - write to circuit court clerks in the appropriate county for these years
More marriage information is usually found on the marriage license application or the marriage register. Less information is found on the marriage certificate. |
Next Step: When did the marriage occur? [edit | edit source] |
|
---|
Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records
Marriages Before 1926[edit | edit source]
- Marriages are kept by the circuit clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records.
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information[edit | edit source]
Images are available for some records in the following Findmypast collection:
- United States Marriages – Mississippi, 1894-1970 ($) index and images
Marriage Indexes | |||
Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
Ancestry, Marriages, 1776-1935 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 684,772 |
Ancestry, Marriages, To 1825 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 9,029 |
FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1800-1911 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years | 411,408 | |
Ancestry, Marriages, 1826-1900 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 60,557 |
Ancestry, Marriages, 1826-1850 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 11,154 |
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | ||
No marriage record for your ancestor? |
Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
If you did not find your ancestor in the databases above, follow the instructions below:
PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage
- If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the circuit court clerk.
- If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.
PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records
- Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the circuit court clerk.
OR
- View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:
Some images of county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by county.
- Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
- Some microfilm are available to view at a local FamilySearch Center.
Marriages 1926 to Present[edit | edit source]
- 1926 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state
- Gap in the state records from June 30, 1938 to January 1, 1942 - write to circuit court clerks in the appropriate county for these years
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information[edit | edit source]
For this period, most records in the following Findmypast collection include images:
- United States Marriages – Mississippi, 1894-1970 ($) index and images
Some marriage indexes after 1926 are found in the following database.
Marriage Indexes | |||
Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
Ancestry, Marriages, 1776-1935 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 684,772 |
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | ||
No marriage record for your ancestor? |
Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate[edit | edit source]
If you did not find your ancestor in the above database, follow the instructions below:
PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage
- If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the circuit court clerk.
- If you don't know the county or date of marriage, you can request a 5-year search for free from the Mississippi State Department of Health office.
- If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.
PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records
- Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the circuit clerk.
OR
- Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the Mississippi State Department of Health office.
To Order Marriage Certificates | |||
From County of Marriage | From MS State Dept. of Health office | ||
Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Offers a search of the state index for free | May be more expensive than ordering from the county |
Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]
- Learn more about U.S. marriage records
- How to find U.S. birth records
- How to find U.S. marriage records
- How to find U.S. death records
- United States Record Finder
- United States, How to Use Marriage Records
- United States Marriage Records
- United States Vital Records
- U.S. Vital Records Overview
- Locating United States Vital Records
- Mississippi Marriage Search, index