FamilySearch Wiki

Michigan Marriage Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Access the Records
Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925
CID1452395
{{{CID2}}}
{{{CID3}}}
{{{CID4}}}
{{{CID5}}}
{{{CID6}}}
{{{CID7}}}
{{{CID8}}}
{{{CID9}}}
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
Collection years 1868-1925
FamilySearch Resources
Content Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Michigan Health and Human Services


What is in This Collection?

This collection includes marriage records from 1868 to 1925. Most of this collection consists of marriage licenses, applications, records, registers, and certificates. The records are arranged by county, then by volume and year range. The form type varies between register style and certificate style. County clerks usually used the same printed form during the same time periods. Marriage records were generally well preserved, although fires, floods, or other disasters may have destroyed some records. The earliest marriage bonds and licenses were usually handwritten on loose papers that were later bound into lettered volumes. Some marriage records had multiple entries on each page, while others had single records per page.

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 had occurred.

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.

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:

  • Full names 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
  • Occupation of bride and groom
  • Full names of parents of bride and groom
  • If bride or groom have been married previously
  • Maiden name of bride and groom’s mother
  • Name of person performing the marriage
  • Witnesses to the marriage
  • Residence of witnesses

Collection Content

Sample Image

  • 1925 Marriage Records

    1925 Marriage Records

Coverage Table

This table shows the number of record in this collection for each county. To search a specific county click the link in the Search column.

County Records Search
Alcona 3,377 Search Alcona
Alger 4,291 Search Alger
Allegan 16,278 Search Allegan
Alpena 28,203 Search Alpena
Antrim 13,681 Search Antrim
Arenac 29,734 Search Arenac
Baraga 3,310 Search Baraga
Barry 5,213 Search Barry
Bay 12,667 Search Bay
Benzie 1,721 Search Benzie
Berrien 34,687 Search Berrien
Branch 6,736 Search Branch
Calhoun 32,174 Search Calhoun
Cass 5,517 Search Cass
Charlevoix 6,447 Search Charlevoix
Cheboygan 6,265 Search Cheboygan
Chippewa 11,058 Search Chippewa
Clare 8,572 Search Clare
Clinton 18,754 Search Clinton
Crawford 2,168 Search Crawford
Delta 293,106 Search Delta
Dickinson 1,752 Search Dickinson
Eaton 31,564 Search Eaton
Emmet 17,014 Search Emmet
Genesee 18,384 Search Genesee
Gladwin 30,519 Search Gladwin
Gogebic 2,580 Search Gogebic
Grand Traverse 32,612 Search Grand Traverse
Gratiot 6,123 Search Gratiot
Hillsdale 14,880 Search Hillsdale
Houghton 16,941 Search Houghton
Huron 6,032 Search Huron
Ingham 46,052 Search Ingham
Ionia 33,579 Search Ionia
Iosco 13,846 Search Iosco
Iron 6,876 Search Iron
Isabella 11,218 Search Isabella
Jackson 21,243 Search Jackson
Kalamazoo 29,316 Search Kalamazoo
Kalkaska 3,464 Search Kalkaska
Kent 23,379 Search Kent
Keweenaw 2,026 Search Keweenaw
Lake 27,507 Search Lake
Lapeer 8,022 Search Lapeer
Leelanau 2,739 Search Leelanau
Lenawee 10,546 Search Lenawee
Livingston 11,363 Search Livingston
Luce 24,151 Search Luce
Mackinac 3,375 Search Mackinac
Macomb 3,181 Search Macomb
Manistee 4,757 Search Manistee
Marquette 6,386 Search Marquette
Mason 2,114 Search Mason
Mecosta 6,245 Search Mecosta
Menominee 4,018 Search Menominee
Midland 14,491 Search Midland
Missaukee 6,161 Search Missaukee
Monroe 14,243 Search Monroe
Montcalm 10,356 Search Montcalm
Montmorency 8,828 Search Montmorency
Muskegon 12,989 Search Muskegon
Newaygo 13,781 Search Newaygo
Oakland 22,109 Search Oakland
Oceana 5,335 Search Oceana
Ogemaw 15,505 Search Ogemaw
Ontonagon 4,299 Search Ontonagon
Osceola 11,060 Search Osceola
Oscoda 15,151 Search Oscoda
Otsego 7,725 Search Otsego
Ottawa 31,815 Search Ottawa
Presque Isle 9,277 Search Presque Isle
Roscommon 1,156 Search Roscommon
Saginaw 30,648 Search Saginaw
St. Clair 26,256 Search St. Clair
St. Joseph 10,666 Search St. Joseph
Sanilac 20,811 Search Sanilac
Schoolcraft 19,548 Search Schoolcraft
Shiawassee 9,076 Search Shiawassee
Tuscola 8,804 Search Tuscola
Van Buren 9,756 Search Van Buren
Washtenaw 74,610 Search Washtenaw
Wayne 62,847 Search Wayne
Wexford 8,982 Search Wexford

Digital Folder Number List

This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. The list does not contain any description of the DGS folder's content. A table listing each DGS number and its contents can be found at Michigan Marriage Records Digital Folder Number List.

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • The name of your ancestor
  • The approximate date of 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

To view images in this collection:
  1. Look at the Michigan Marriage Records Digital Folder Number List article to determine the folder/film number for the images you want to see
  2. Go to the Browse Page
  3. Select the Film number to view the 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
  • Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records
  • Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family
  • Search the county where the marriage occurred for other records such as church, land, and probate

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 counties

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.
Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Michigan_Marriage_Records_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records&oldid=6026852"