How to Find Virginia Marriage Records
This page is under construction. Please be patient.
How To Find U.S. Marriage Records 
How To Find Virginia Marriage Records
Finding Virginia Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
- 1660 - Colonial government required church officials to record all marriages in church registers
- 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.[1]
 |
More marriage information is usually found on the marriage license application or the marriage register. Less information is found on the marriage certificate. |
Next Step: When did the marriage occur? [edit | edit source] |
| |
|---|---|---|
Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records
Marriages Before 1853[edit | edit source]
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records.
| 1. Look first in | 2. Then search |
| Church Records |
Census Records |
Marriages 1853 to 1917[edit | edit source]
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information[edit | edit source]
| 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 | Template:RecordSearch&, free, incomplete, to view coverage table | 1,219,044 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1851-1929 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 29,984 |
| 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. |
If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for marriage information in other records.
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
PART A: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records or the above indexes
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 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 Family Search Center.
Option B:
- Order the marriage record from the county probate judge's offices in the county the marriage took place.
PART B: 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, you can request a search for a fee from the West Virginia Department of Health State office.
- If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.
Marriages 1918 to Present[edit | edit source]
| Michigan Marriage Database - Includes Index and Digital Images | ||||
| Try 1st: | ||||
| Template:RecordSearch& |
Free; most counties 1868-1925: Free name index with images online at FamilySearch. Records include such information as names of bride and groom, date of license, ages, race, residences, birthplaces, occupations and names of the fathers of the bride and groom. | |||
| Try 2nd: | ||||
| Template:RecordSearch& |
Free; name index with images online at FamilySearch.
| |||
| 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. |
|||
Marriage Records on Microfilm
Some 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 Family Search Center.
Marriages 1936 to Present[edit | edit source]
Marriage licenses may be found in the county records where the marriage occurred.
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information
- Copies may be ordered from the county clerk.
- Copies may be ordered from the Michigan Department of Public Health.
| To Order Marriage Certificates | |||
| From County where Marriage occurred | From MI Dept. of Health State office | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee | May be more expensive than ordering from the county |
Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]
- 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
- ↑ Arlene H. Eakle, "Have you searched and searched for a marriage without finding it?" in Genealogy Blog at http://www.arleneeakle.com/wordpress/2007/02/19/have-you-searched-and-searched-for-the-marriage-without-finding-it/ (accessed 8 January 2011).