You can often find the name of an individual's spouse on any of the documents listed below. If you have the minimum information required to find one of these documents, select the name of that document. The items in the list are ordered from most to least important. If you do not have the minimum information required, select one of the "Finding the minimum information" links at the bottom of this page.

Vital records

To find a spouse's name on a marriage or divorce record, you must at least know the full name of the groom and/or the full maiden name of the bride for a marriage certificate, or the full married name of one of the spouses for a divorce record. You must also know the approximate year of the event and the state or county where the event took place.

Census records

Beginning in 1850, the census recorded each individual's name and their relationship to the head of household. To find an individual's name in census records, you must at least know the individual's full name, the state, and the county in which the individual lived when the census was taken. If you are using census records for 1870 or earlier, you can probably use an index that only requires the state and surname.

Church records

To find an individual's spouse's name in church marriage records, such as a marriage certificate, you must at least know the individual's name and either the name of the church where the ceremony was performed or the name of the clergyman that appears on the certificate.

Bible records

To find an individual's spouse's name in Bible records that are no longer in the family's possession, you must at least know the individual's full maiden name or married name, as well as the state and county in which the individual lived.

Military records

To find an individual's spouse's name in a military pension record, you must at least know the veteran's name, the branch of service, such as Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, the state from which the veteran entered the service, and the war in which the veteran served. If the period of service was after 1916, you must also know entry and release dates, military ID number, Social Security number, whether an officer or enlisted, and date of birth.

Probate records

To find an individual's spouse's name in probate records, you must at least know the individual's full name at time of death, the approximate date of the death, and the county or town in which the individual lived at the time of death.

Newspapers

To find an individual's spouse's name in a birth, engagement, or wedding announcement, or in an obituary, you must at least know the approximate date of the event, the name of either of the individuals involved, and the state and city or town where the event took place (or where the announcement or obituary was likely to have been published).

For a description of any of the records listed above, see the topic Genealogy dictionary.

To get help finding the minimum information required to locate any of the records listed above, select one of the following items:

Finding the minimum information for vital records

Finding the minimum information for census records

Finding the minimum information for church records

Finding the minimum information for Bible records

Finding the minimum information for military records

Finding the minimum information for probate records

Finding the minimum information for newspapers

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