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Michigan, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Michigan County Marriages, 1820-1935
CID1810350
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Michigan,
United States
Flag of Michigan
Flag of Michigan
Locator map of Michigan
Location of Michigan
Record Description
Record Type Marriage Records
Collection years 1820-1935
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Various archives, Michigan


What is in This Collection?

The collection consists of an index & images of marriage registers and certificates from county records for the years 1820 to 1935. The content and time period varies by county. This collection does not include the following counties:

  • Alger
  • Alpena
  • Barry
  • Eaton
  • Gladwin
  • Kalkaska
  • Kent
  • Lenawee
  • Missaukee
  • Monroe
  • Montmorency
  • Oceana
  • Oscoda
  • Schoolcraft
  • Shiawassee

An 1805 law required registration of marriages with the clerk of the local district court. In 1867, an additional law required the counties to send copies of the records to the Office of the State Registrar. A very high percentage of marriages that took place in Michigan were recorded by civil authorities.

Marriages were usually recorded by the clerk of the district court for each county from the time the county was formed. Persons desiring to marry obtained a license that they presented to the minister or other person authorized to marry, such as a justice of the peace. Once the marriage was performed, the officiator sent a return to the clerk confirming that the marriage was performed.

Counties in Michigan recorded marriages to legalize marital relationships and to protect the interests of the wife and other heirs to legal claims on property. The marriage date, place, residence of the bride and groom, and occupations are relatively reliable. Other information, such as age or birthplace, is dependent on the knowledge, memory, and accuracy of the informants, usually the bride and groom. marriage had occurred.

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for Michigan County Marriages, 1820-1935.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Index and Image Visibility

FamilySearch provides images and indexes subject to contractual limitations and changes. Access to images and indexes may vary. Some collections may only have partial indexes without images. See Restrictions for Viewing Images for details.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

  • Name of the bride and groom
  • Date of marriage license
  • Date and place of marriage
  • Age of bride and groom
  • Race of bride and groom
  • Residence of bride and groom
  • Birthplace of bride and groom
  • Name of bride's and groom’s fathers
  • Occupation of bride and groom
  • Maiden name of bride's and groom’s mother
  • Number of times previously married
  • Date and place of marriage
  • Name of person performing the marriage
  • Witnesses to the marriage
  • Residence of witnesses

Collection Content

Sample Image

  • 1925 Marriage Records

    1925 Marriage Records

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • The name of your ancestor
  • The approximate date of the marriage
  • The place where the marriage occurred
  • The name of the intended spouse

Search the Index

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Enter the information in the fields in the Search Collection section or click More Options to see additional fields
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images

View images in this collection by visiting the Collection Browse Page:
  1. Select County
  2. Select Record Type, Year Range, Volume to view the images
Tip: More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1935. Some catalog records link to multiple references. In this case, click on a reference to find a camera icon to see images.

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.

What Do I Do Next?

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

  • Add any new information to your records
  • Search for the family in census records
  • Search the county where the marriage occurred for church, land, and probate records
  • Search for other vital records, such as birth and death

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

  • Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
  • Search the indexes and records of nearby localities

Research Helps

The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Michigan.

Other FamilySearch Collections

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Digital Library

Known Issues

Click here for a list of known issues with this collection.

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:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.
Image Citation:
When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.
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