How to Find Georgia Marriage Records

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

Finding Georgia Marriage Records

Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county
1952-1996 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state
1996 to the present - write to the probate court in the county where the marriage occurred

Next Step: When did the marriage occur?		Marriage Records Choose a time period: Before 1952 1952 to Present Marriage year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1952

Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and usually begin at the creation of the county

Marriage Indexes and Digital Images
Database Name - Index and Image	Link or links to access database	# of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1785-1950	On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years	683,052

If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try:
Database Name-Index Only	Link or links to access database		# of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1808-1967	On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years		1,069,456
Ancestry, Marriages, 1699-1944	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	216,770
Ancestry, Marriages, To 1850	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	167,492
Ancestry, Marriages, 1851-1900	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription	83,321

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.


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 1952 to Present

1952-1996 - duplicate copies of the marriages were required to be sent to the state
1996 to the present - write to the probate court in the county where the marriage occurred

Currently, there are only limited online indexes to Georgia marriage records for the period 1952 to the present.

PART ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index

Marriage Indexes
Database Name-Index Only	Link or links to access database	# of records
FamilySearch, Marriages, 1808-1967	On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years	1,069,456

PART TWO: 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 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 VitalChek.

To Order Marriage Certificates
From County of Marriage		From VitalChek
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use		May be more expensive than ordering from the county