How to Find Texas Marriage Records

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Revision as of 12:46, 1 July 2013 by Murphynw (talk | contribs)


How To Find U.S. Marriage Records go to How To Find Texas Marriage Records

Finding Texas Marriage Records[edit | edit source]

  • Pre-1837 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
  • In Texas, duplicate copies are not sent to the Department of State Health Services
Tip
 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]
Marriage Records
Choose a time period:


Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1837[edit | edit source]

  • Pre-statehood marriages were recorded by the Catholic Church

Before 1837, no marriages were recorded by the county or state. First, check marriages recorded by the Catholic Church. If your ancestor does not appear in Catholic records, you must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s marriage date and place.

  Records that give marriage information:
Newspapers
Bible Records
Church Records
Military Records

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

Texas Marriage Databases - Index Only

At FamilySearch Centers/Libraries:
1814-1909 and 1966-2002 at Ancestry.com Ancestry Library edition - free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center; Index only - images of records available at FamilySearch Centers - see below
Use Your Ancestry Subscription:

1814-1909 and 1966-2002 at Ancestry.com Ancestry subscription - $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; 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 1837 to Present[edit | edit source]

  • Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county
  • In Texas, duplicate copies are not sent to the Department of State Health Services

STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index[edit | edit source]

Marriage Indexes and Digital Images
Database Name - Index and Image Link or links to access database # of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1837-1977 On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years 187,126
If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try:
Database Name-Index Only Link or links to access database # of records
Ancestry, Marriages, 1814-1909 and 1966-2002 Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers $, Use your own Ancestry subscription 12,788,808
FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1837-1973 On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years 2,099,675
FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1837-1977 On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years 365,805
FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1966-2010 On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years 7,606,159
VitalSearch, Marriage Index, 1967-2011 $, On VitalSearch Not disclosed
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.

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

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate[edit | edit source]

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.
Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]

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