FamilySearch Wiki

Oregon, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

(Redirected from Oregon County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records))
Access the Records
Oregon, County Marriages, 1851-1975
CID1803968
{{{CID2}}}
{{{CID3}}}
{{{CID4}}}
{{{CID5}}}
{{{CID6}}}
{{{CID7}}}
{{{CID8}}}
{{{CID9}}}
This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Oregon,
United States
Flag of Oregon
Flag of Oregon
Locator map of Oregon
Location of Oregon
Record Description
Record Type Marriages
Collection years 1851-1975
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Multiple County courthouses, Oregon.


What is in This Collection?

The collection consists of an index & images of marriage records from counties in Oregon. These records include licenses and marriage certificates and are arranged by county, volume, and date. The dates covered by this collection are 1851 to 1975. Additional records will be added as they are completed.

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:

  • Date and place of marriage
  • Names of the groom and bride
  • County in which they reside
  • Names of witnesses
  • Name and title of officiator
  • Names of the parents or guardians of the bride and groom
  • Witnesses
  • Birthplaces of the bride and groom
  • Age of the bride and groom
  • Marital status of the bride and groom

Collection Content

The type of form used 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 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.

Marriages were 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.

Civil marriage records were created 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.

Sample Images

  • 1914 Marriage

    1914 Marriage

  • 1951 Marriage

    1951 Marriage

Coverage Table

As of 26 November 2019 records from the following counties were included in this collection:

  • Baker
  • Benton
  • Clatsop
  • Columbia
  • Douglas
  • Morrow
  • Polk
  • Yamhill

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 Oregon, County Marriages Digital Folder Number List.

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • Name of the person
  • The location or date of the event

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 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 vital records, such as birth and death
  • Use the information to find additional family members in census records
  • Search for land and property records
  • Search for probate records

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

  • Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relatives
  • If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
  • Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
  • Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials

Research Helps

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

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=Oregon,_County_Marriages_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records&oldid=5830164"