Wisconsin, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Wisconsin,
United States
Flag of Wisconsin
Flag of Wisconsin
Locator map of Wisconsin
Location of Wisconsin
Record Description
Record Type Marriage Registrations
Collection years ca. 1836-1907
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Historical Society of Wisconsin


What is in This Collection?[edit | edit source]

The collection consists of a name index to marriage registrations in Wisconsin. Most registrations in this publication end in 1907. The record content varies by county. 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, and residence of the bride and groom are relatively reliable. Other information, such as 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[edit | edit source]

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?[edit | edit source]

The following information may be found in these records:

  • Name of the groom
  • Name of the bride
  • Names of the officiator and witnesses
  • Names of the parents or guardians of the bride and groom
  • Date of the marriage
  • Birthplaces of the bride and groom
  • Residences of the bride and groom
  • Occupation of the groom
  • Races of the bride and groom

Collection Content[edit | edit source]

Sample Image[edit | edit source]

  • 1901 Marriage Record

    1901 Marriage Record

How Do I Search This Collection?[edit | edit source]

To begin your search, it is helpful to know:

  • The name of your ancestor
  • The name of a parent or date of the event

Search the Index[edit | edit source]

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

How Do I Analyze the Results?[edit | edit source]

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?[edit | edit source]

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Add any new information to your records
  • Use the names of the parents to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and death records. Also search for immigration, military, land and probate records
  • Use the information to find additional family members in censuses
  • Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Try viewing the original record. Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
  • If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relatives that can be verified by records
  • If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search
  • Try variant spellings of your ancestor’s name
  • Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps[edit | edit source]

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

Other FamilySearch Collections[edit | edit source]

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

FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Historical Records[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Digital Library[edit | edit source]

Citing This Collection[edit | edit source]

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.

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