Pennsylvania Divorce Records
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Pennsylvania Divorce Records Dates
| 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
- 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
- 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);
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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
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
| 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
- 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
- ↑ 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.