Kentucky Divorce Records: Difference between revisions

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[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Kentucky|Kentucky ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Kentucky Vital Records|Vital Records]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] ''Kentucky Divorce Records''  
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| link5=[[Kentucky Divorce Records|Divorce Records]]
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== Kentucky Divorce Records Dates ==
{| class="wikitable" width="35%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
|-
| colspan="2"|<center>'''Divorce Courts in Kentucky''' <ref>[https://kygs.org/researching-divorces-in-kentucky/ ''Researching Divorces in Kentucky of Yesteryear''] by Kentucky Genealogical Society, accessed 8 March 2025</ref> </center>
|-
| width="10%" bgcolor="#b6ebfb" align="left" | '''1792-1809'''  
| width="25" align="left" | Kentucky General Assembly
|-
| width="10%" bgcolor="#b6ebfb" align="left" | '''1809-1849'''
| width="25" align="left" | Circuit Court (counties); approved by State Legislature
|-
| width="10%" bgcolor="#b6ebfb" align="left" | '''1849-present'''  
| width="25%" align="left" | Circuit Court (counties)


{{Adoption KYGenWeb}}In the early 1800s the legislature, circuit courts, and city courts granted divorces. Divorce records may indicate the date and place of the marriage being dissolved. Circuit or city courts have handled most divorce proceedings.
|}
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The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics has a statewide register of divorces since 1 January 1972 and can verify the date and county of a divorce or annulment. This is helpful when the county is not known. Contact information is found on the [[Kentucky Vital Records|Kentucky Vital Records]] page. Application forms and instructions for obtaining divorce certificates can be acquired from the Office of Vital Statistics’ web site, listed in the "Vital Records" page.
== Online Resources ==
*'''1792-1849''' ''Early Divorce Records Granted by the Legislature (1792-1849)'' at Kentucky Genealogical Society Member Portal — index ($)
*'''1962-2005''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61049/ Kentucky, U.S., Divorce Records, 1962-2005] at Ancestry — index ($)
*'''1972-1990''' {{FSC|725274|item|disp=Divorce Indexes, 1972–1990}}(*) by Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Catalog — index
*'''1973-1993''' [http://ukcc.uky.edu/vitalrec/ Index to Kentucky divorce records from 1973 to 1993] at the University of Kentucky


Some indexes to divorce records are:  
==Print Publications==
*'''1792-1849''' Kentucky Genealogical Society, ''Blue Grass Roots.'' Spring 1980 to present. {{FSC|102032|FS catalog book 976.9 B2b}}; published list of divorces from 1792 to 1849 beginning with the Spring 1980 issue; articles are indexed by title only (not by names) in the [[Periodical Source Index (PERSI)|Periodical Source Index.]]
*'''Pre-1850''' ''Acts of the General Assembly of Kentucky,'' by Sandra Gorin. Glasgow, Kentucky: Gorin Genealogical Publishing, 2008/9. {{FSC|1979504|item|disp=FS Catalog book 976.9 P3g vols. 1, 3}}; {{WorldCat|866322327|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; includes some divorces


*Kentucky. Office of Vital Statistics. ''Divorce Indexes, 1972–1990''. Frankfort, KY: Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics, 1991. {{FHL|725274|item|disp=FHL fiche 6118877-78}} There is no circulation to Family History Centers. This index contains the name of the husband and wife, the county in which the divorce occurred, the date of the divorce, and the volume and certificate number. There are separate indexes for the husband and wife.
== Get Copies ==
*An ''Index to [http://ukcc.uky.edu/vitalrec/ Kentucky divorce records] from 1973 to 1993'' is also available online at&nbsp;the University of Kentucky’s "Kentucky Vital Records Index." (You may need to scroll down the page to find it.)
''Restrictions''<br>
Divorce records are generally open to the public. Some cases may be closed by the court.


Original divorce records for all years are available in the county where the divorce occurred. The Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives maintains original criminal and court case files. The Archives may hold records of some early divorces not available in the counties.


The Family History Library has copies of the divorce records for some counties. They can be found in the [[Family_History_Library_Catalog_Place-name_Search|Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog]] under:
'''Kentucky Department of Public Health'''<br>
Office of Vital Statistics<br>
275 East Main Street, 1 E-A<br>
Frankfort, KY 40621<br>
Phone: (502) 564-4212<br>
[https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Pages/default.aspx Website]<br>


KENTUCKY- DIVORCE RECORDS- INDEXES
*They have divorce records from June 1958 to present day <ref>[https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Pages/marriage-divorce.aspx ''Marriage and Divorce Certificates''] by Cabinet for Health and Family Services, accessed 7 March 2025</ref>
:* [https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Forms/VS230MARRIAGEDIVORCEAPP.pdf Marriage/Divorce] Request Form
*Before 1958, contact the circuit court in the county where the divorce was granted


KENTUCKY, [COUNTY]- DIVORCE RECORDS


KENTUCKY, [COUNTY]- COURT RECORDS
'''Kentucky Departmeent for Libraries and Archives'''<br>
300 Coffee Tree Road<br>
Frankfort, KY 40601<br>
Phone: (502) 564-8300<br>
Fax: (502) 564-5773<br>
[https://kdla.ky.gov/Archives-and-Reference/Pages/Research-Guides.aspx Website]<br>


KENTUCKY, [COUNTY]- VITAL RECORDS<br>
What they have: (varies by county)<br>
*[https://kdla.ky.gov/Archives-and-Reference/Documents/Handout-DivorceRecords.pdf Kentucky Divorce Records] handout
*[https://kdla.ky.gov/Archives-and-Reference/Documents/CircuitCourtInventory.pdf Circuit Court Records] Inventory


=== Websites<br>  ===


[http://www.countyregistry.org/divorce-records/kentucky/ Kentucky divorce records] Online database(Fees may apply.)  
''County Courts''<br>
Divorce records are available from the circuit court in the county where the decree was granted.
*Contact the [https://www.kycourts.gov/Pages/index.aspx Circiut Court] (scroll down to select the county)


{{Kentucky|Kentucky}}&nbsp;
==Coverage and Compliance==
*Divorces are court records and there is high compliance.
*Many couples separated, leaving no divorce record.


<br>  
<div style="clear:both"></div>


[[Category:Kentucky|Divorce]]
== Information in the Records ==
{| class="wikitable" width="30%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" align="right"
|-
| colspan = "2" |<center>'''Kentucky Divorce Records Usually Include:''' </center>
|-
| width="22%" valign="middle" height="25" bgcolor="#99ccff" align="left" | '''Names of Parties*'''
| width="8%" valign="middle" align="center" |  x
|-
| width="22%" valign="middle" height="25" bgcolor="#99ccff" align="left" | '''Original Marriage Place'''
| width="8%" valign="middle" align="center" | x
|-
| width="22%" valign="middle" height="25" bgcolor="#99ccff" align="left" | '''Divorce Place'''
| width="8%" valign="middle" align="center" |  x
|-
| width="22%" valign="middle" height="25" bgcolor="#99ccff" align="left" | '''Divorce Date'''
| width="8%" valign="middle" align="center" | x
|-
| width="22%" valign="middle" height="25" bgcolor="#99ccff" align="left" | '''# of Children Affected'''
| width="8%" valign="middle" align="center" | x
|-
| colspan = "2" |* May not include maiden name of the woman
|}
Kentucky divorce records have been kept at the county level since about 1792, when the first county was organized. Their early records may give more detail than those by the legislature.<br>
*By 1972, the word divorce was replaced with the term "dissolution of marriage".
 
''See also:''
*[[Kentucky Law and Legislation#Divorce Laws|Kentucky Divorce Laws]]
*[[United States Divorce Records|United States Divorce Records]]
*[https://kdla.ky.gov/Archives-and-Reference/Documents/ResearchGuide-Kentucky_Court_Records.pdf Kentucky Court Records Research Guide] at Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives
 
==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.
*Many couples separated leaving no divorce record.
*[[United States Newspapers|Newspapers]] often printed information about separations and divorces in the area to help you determine if a divorce exists.
*[https://kdla.ky.gov/Archives-and-Reference/Documents/ResearchGuide-Kentucky_Court_Records.pdf Kentucky Court Records Research Guide] at Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives
*See [[United States Divorce Records|United States Divorce records]] for more information.
<div style="clear:both"></div>
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
 
[[Category:Kentucky, United States]] [[Category:Divorce Records]]

Revision as of 09:23, 25 April 2025

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Kentucky Divorce Records Dates[edit | edit source]

Divorce Courts in Kentucky [1]
1792-1809 Kentucky General Assembly
1809-1849 Circuit Court (counties); approved by State Legislature
1849-present Circuit Court (counties)

Online Resources[edit | edit source]

Print Publications[edit | edit source]

Get Copies[edit | edit source]

Restrictions
Divorce records are generally open to the public. Some cases may be closed by the court.


Kentucky Department of Public Health
Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street, 1 E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: (502) 564-4212
Website

  • They have divorce records from June 1958 to present day [2]
  • Before 1958, contact the circuit court in the county where the divorce was granted


Kentucky Departmeent for Libraries and Archives
300 Coffee Tree Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 564-8300
Fax: (502) 564-5773
Website

What they have: (varies by county)


County Courts
Divorce records are available from the circuit court in the county where the decree was granted.

Coverage and Compliance[edit | edit source]

  • Divorces are court records and there is high compliance.
  • Many couples separated, leaving no divorce record.

Information in the Records[edit | edit source]

Kentucky Divorce Records Usually Include:
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

Kentucky divorce records have been kept at the county level since about 1792, when the first county was organized. Their early records may give more detail than those by the legislature.

  • By 1972, the word divorce was replaced with the term "dissolution of marriage".

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.
  • Many couples separated leaving no divorce record.
  • Newspapers often printed information about separations and divorces in the area to help you determine if a divorce exists.
  • Kentucky Court Records Research Guide at Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives
  • See United States Divorce records for more information.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Researching Divorces in Kentucky of Yesteryear by Kentucky Genealogical Society, accessed 8 March 2025
  2. ↑ Marriage and Divorce Certificates by Cabinet for Health and Family Services, accessed 7 March 2025

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