How to Find Louisiana Marriage Records

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

Finding Louisiana Marriage Records

Colonial marriages were recorded by the Catholic Church
Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county
1957 - 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 1957 1957 to Present Marriage year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1957

Colonial marriages were recorded by the Catholic Church
Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county

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

For marriages that exist during the time period, try the following databases. Try each link.

Louisiana Marriage Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:
	1853-1970 - At West Virginia Division of Culture and History	Free; dates vary by county: some start before 1853 or do not go to 1970; list of database county coverage (right side of the screen)on WV website
Try 2nd:
	1853-1970 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; dates vary by county: some start before 1853 or do not go to 1970; list of database county coverage (right side of the screen)on WV website; click on "view partner website" to see a copy of the image
West Virginia Marriage Database - Index Only
	1854-1932 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Index only; Images of records available at FamilySearch Centers - see below


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

Found the index but not the image of the marriage?
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 1957 to Present

1957 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state

Currently, there are no online indexes to Louisiana marriage records from 1957 to the present.

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, 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.

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

Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the West Virginia Department of Health State office.

To Order Marriage Certificates
From County of Marriage		From WV 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