How to Find Virginia Marriage Records

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

Finding Virginia Marriage Records

• 1660 - Colonial government required church officials to record all marriages in church registers (few colonial records survive)
• 1780 - Law required ministers report all marriages to county clerk
• 1853 - State law required clerk of the court in the county or independent city to issue marriage licenses and keep marriage records
• Gretna Greens. When an eloping Virginia couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Manassas, Prince William, Virginia, or Howard County, Maryland, or Mount Airy, Surry, North Carolina, or Pike County, Kentucky.
• Marriage records are restricted for 25 years from the time the event occurred. Only family members may obtain these records.

Next Step: When did the marriage occur?

Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's marriage record: | Marriage Records Choose a time period: Before 1853 1853 to Present Marriage year unknown Learn more about U.S. Birth Records Marriages Before 1853 If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records. STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information Try these databases. Marriage information is taken from substitute records such as church records. Database Name Link or links to access database # of records  Ancestry, Marriages, 1660-1800 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 88,130 Ancestry, Marriages, 1700-1850 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 33,706 Ancestry, Marriage bonds, 1700s-1824 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 4,496 Ancestry, Marriages, 1740-1850 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 337,520 FamilySearch, Marriages, 1785-1940 On FamilySearch, free, incomplete, view coverage table 1,219,044 Ancestry, Marriages, 1851-1929 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 29,984 Library of Virginia, Marriages On Library of Virginia, free, incomplete, county coverage Undisclosed 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. If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for marriage information in other records. 1. Look first in 2. Then search Church Records Newspapers Military Records Obituaries Census Records Cemetery Records Death Records Bible Records Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year Marriages from 1853 to Present STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information Try these databases. Marriage information is taken from substitute records such as church records. Database Name Link or links to access database # of records  FamilySearch, Marriages, 1785-1940 On FamilySearch, free, incomplete, view coverage table 1,219,044 Ancestry, Marriages, 1851-1929 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 29,984 Library of Virginia, Marriages On Library of Virginia, free, incomplete, county coverage Undisclosed 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. If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for marriage information in other records. STEP TWO: Obtain the Record PART A: You know the approximate or exact date and place of marriage from your records or the above indexes With date and place of marriage, order a copy of the marriage from one of the following: Option A: Marriage Records on Microfilm Some county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the county and approximate date where the marriage took place, use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available. Search the FamilySearch Catalog 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 Family Search Center. Option B: Order from the County or City Order the marriage record for a fee from the county court clerk in the county the marriage took place. Option C: Order from the State of Virginia Order the marriage record for a fee from the Virginia Office of Vital Records. PART B: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage If you do know the county or independent city 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. Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year Wiki Articles Learn more about U.S. marriage records How to find U.S. birth records How to find U.S. marriage records How to find U.S. death records 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 References