How to Find Texas Marriage Records
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Finding Texas Marriage Records
- 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
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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? |
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Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records
Marriages Before 1837
- 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: | ||
For marriages that exist during the time period, try the following:
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index
| Marriage Index | |||
| 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 |
| 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. |
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STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate
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.
OR
- View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:
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 FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog 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.
Marriages 1837 to Present
- 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
| 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 | Undisclosed | |
| 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. |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate
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.
OR
- View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:
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 FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog 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.
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