How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records

How To Find U.S. Marriage Records How To Find Kentucky Marriage Records

Finding Kentucky Marriage Records

• Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and begin at the creation of the county
• 1958 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state

Next Step: When did the marriage occur?		Marriage Records Choose a time period: Before 1958 1958 to 1972 1973 to Present Marriage year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1958

• Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and begin at the creation of the county

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the database below, try searching for marriage information in other records.

STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index

Marriage Indexes and Digital Images
Database Name - Index and Image	Link or links to access database		# of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1797-1954	On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years		184,092
Ancestry, Marriages, 1852-1914	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	230,792

If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try:
Database Name-Index Only	Link or links to access database		# of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1785-1979	On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years		1,532,533
Ancestry, Marriages, 1795-1850	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	7,970
Ancestry, Marriages, 1802-1850	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	72,640
Ancestry, Marriages, 1851-1900	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	307,737

Can't access Ancestry?	Visit your local Family History Center or your local public library.
No marriage record for your ancestor?	Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. Search other records with marriage information.

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate

If you did not find your ancestor in the above database, follow the instructions below:

PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage

• If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county clerk.
• If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records

• Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the county clerk.

OR

• View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:

Some images of county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) to see what is available.

• Search the FHLC by county.
• Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
• For a small fee, order the microfilm to view at a local FamilySearch Center.

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Marriages 1958 to 1972

There are no complete marriage indexes online covering the years between 1958 to 1972.

PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage

• If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county clerk.
• If you don't know the county or date of marriage but you believe it is after June 1958, you can request a search for a fee from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
• If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records

• A copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the county clerk.

OR

• For marriages AFTER JUNE 1958 - a copy of a marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.

To Order Marriage Certificates
From County where Marriage occurred		After June 1958 - Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use		May be more expensive than ordering from the county

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Marriages 1973 to Present

STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index

Kentucky Marriage Database - Indexes Only
Try 1st:
	1973-2000 at Rootsweb	Free; index only
Try 2nd:
	1973-1993 at University of Kentucky website	Free, index only, date is given in a code: MM/DD/YY
Next try:
Ancestry database: Includes Index Only
Choose one of the following:
	1973-1999 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries	Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
	1973-1999 - use your own Ancestry subscription	$, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library
	Can't access Ancestry?	Go to Step Two: Part B listed below. You may be able to order the marriage record for your ancestor from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No marriage record for your ancestor?		Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. Other records with marriage information

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate

PART A: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage

• If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county clerk.
• If you don't know the county or date of marriage but you believe it is after June 1958, you can request a search for a fee from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
• If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records or the above indexes

• A copy of the marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the county clerk.

OR

• For marriages AFTER JUNE 1958 - a copy of the marriage record may be ordered for a fee from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.

To Order Marriage Certificates
From County where Marriage occurred		After June 1958 - Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use		May be more expensive than ordering from the county

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Wiki Articles

• Learn more about U.S. marriage records
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• How to find U.S. marriage records
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• United States Record Selection Table
• United States, How to Use Marriage Records
• United States Marriage Records
• United States Vital Records
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• Locating United States Vital Records

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