Pennsylvania Divorce Records
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Pennsylvania Divorce Records Dates[edit | edit source]
| Information from Pennsylvania State Library | |
| 1682-1773 | Legislature or the Governor (Colony) |
| 1773 | Forbidden in the Colony by British Parliament |
| 1785-1804 | Supreme Court or Legislature (State) |
| 1804-1874* | Legislature, Supreme Court (State); Circuit Courts and Courts of Common Pleas, Prothonotary's Office (County) |
| 1874-present* | Courts of Common Pleas (County) |
| *Since 1804 Prothonotaries (clerks of the court) have the records | |
Online Resources[edit | edit source]
- 1785-1801 Divorces Granted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from December 1785 until 1801(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images[1]
- 1786-1815 Divorce Papers, 1786-1815(*) at FamilySearch Catalog films 1023001-06 — images[2]
- 1800-1805 General Motions Docket 1750-1837; Divorce Docket 1800-1805(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images [3]
- 1851-1874 Divorce Docket, 1851-1874(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images[4]
Print Publications[edit | edit source]
- Divorces granted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, December 1785-1801, Harry C. Adams and Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Bedminster, Pennsylvania:Adams Apple Press, 1992; 11 pages. FS Catalog book 974.8 A1 no. 555; At various libraries (WorldCat);
Get Copies[edit | edit source]
Restrictions
Divorce records are available from the Office of the Prothonotary in the county where the decree was granted.
- Some information may be sealed by ruling of the court
County Courthouses
Divorce records since 1804 were usually kept by the court of common pleas. However, to obtain a record of divorce and it's proceedings, contact the Office of the Prothonotary in the county where the divorce was granted.[5]
- Prothonotaries in each county
- Before 1804: State Legislature or Supreme Court
Coverage and Compliance[edit | edit source]
Since 1804, divorce records have been kept in the Prothonotary's Office in the county where the divorce was granted. In addition, local newspapers frequently published notices of divorce actions.[6]
- Formal divorces are court records and has a high compliance in keeping the records
- Many couples separated leaving no divorce record
Information in the Records[edit | edit source]
| Names of Parties* | x |
| Original Marriage Place | x |
| Divorce Place | x |
| Divorce Date | x |
| # of Children Affected | x |
| * May not include maiden name of the woman | |
Divorce became more common in Pennsylvania after the the Revolutionary War and the divorce law of 1785.[7] The records may include:
- Petitions, which started the process, include at least names of parties and the grievance. May include date and place of marriage.
- Certificates or registers contain date marriage was dissolved and names of parties.
- Case files contain the papers created and include marriage and divorce details, residences, and name changes. May include children's names, ages, birth dates.
See also:
Strategy[edit | edit source]
- Divorces can be difficult to locate. The divorce may have occurred in another county. Try all the residences of both the husband and wife.
- Newspapers often printed information about separations and divorces in the area to help you determine if a divorce exists.
- Many couples simply separated, leaving no divorce record.
- See United States Divorce Records for more information.'
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Divorces Granted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from December 1785 until 1801, Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 (Jul. 1897):185-192. List of online versions
- ↑ Divorce papers, 1786-1815, Pennsylvania. Supreme Court (Eastern District)
- ↑ General motions docket 1750-1837; Divorce Docket 1800-1805, by Pennsylvania. Supreme Court (Eastern District), 1977
- ↑ Divorce docket, 1851-1875, Pennsylvania. Court of Common Pleas (Philadelphia County).
- ↑ Divorce Records at Pennsylvania State Library, accessed 23 April 2025
- ↑ Divorce Records State Library of Pennsylvania, accessed 23 April 2025
- ↑ Thomas R. Meehan, "'Not Made Out of Levity,' Evolution of Divorce in Early Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 92, No. 4 (Oct. 1968):441-464.