U.S. States - Marriage Index (1728-1850)

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Record Details

Place: AR, TX, CA, IA, LA, MN, MO, OR

Date: 1728-1850

Type: Marriage Index

Count: 215,000 names

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About the Data

This data set is an index to approximately 215,000 individuals who were married in select counties of Arkansas, Texas, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oregon, between 1728 and 1850. For a complete list of which counties are included and the years for which there are records from those counties represented in this index, click here. Information that may be found in this data set for each individual includes their name, spouse's name, marriage date, and marriage location. Marriage records are great sources for genealogists because they document an individual in a particular place and time as well as provide details about that person's marriage.

It is important that you use the information found in this data set to locate your ancestor in the original records that this index references. Usually more information is available in the records themselves than is found in an index. For example, marriage records sometimes provide the birth dates and places of the bride and groom, their parents' names, their addresses, and witnesses' names, in addition to the information listed in this index.

Field Example

This data set contains the following fields for each record.
Please note that all fields may not be populated for every record.

Name — In some records, you will find three question marks in place of the given name or surname. This indicates that the name was not listed on the original record. You may also find question marks in place of missing letters. A question mark after a name indicates that the name spelling was unclear. You may also occasionally find the same record listed in the index under two different name spellings.

Please note that not all unusual and uncertain names were noted by question marks, so always be sure to check under various spellings if you are having trouble locating a name. You may have difficulty locating some names for the following reasons:
• Some given names have been abbreviated. For example, "Robert" may appear as "Robt," and "Elizabeth" as "Eliz."
• Some given names are misspelled, contain typos, or may be spelled unusually.
• Some given and middle names are truncated. Specifically this happens when the name, including the spaces between the given name, middle name, and last name, is longer than twenty-three characters. For example, "McCormack, Annabelle Margaret" would be listed as "McCormack, Annabelle Mar." If you are unable to locate a particular given name and surname, try switching the given name to an initial, abbreviation, or possible misspelling. If the surname is not common, you may want to search only on the surname.

Spouse — This field lists the name of the individual's spouse. Please note that all records appear in the index twice, once under the husband's name and once under the wife's name. Since both names are indexed, you will be able to locate an ancestor's marriage even if you only know one of the spouse's names. Marriage date - Usually the date listed is the marriage date. When no marriage date was available in the records, the date of the license application or the date that the license was issued was substituted.

Location — This is the county and state in which the marriage was recorded. In most cases, this is also the location in which the marriage took place. In a few cases a marriage may be listed twice but in two different counties. A couple would obtain a marriage license or bond in one county, but would be married in another county, most often near other relatives. The marriage would be listed in that county as a result of the ministers' returns to the county. In cases such as this, both marriage records are included in the index in order to give clues to the researcher of family in other counties. For tips on searching this and other data sets click here.

More About the Data

While marriage records can usually be found in county courthouses, copies are often located in the state archives, libraries, or historical societies. The specific office in a county courthouse where marriage records may be kept varies from county clerk to probate clerk. Actual records are kept in a variety of forms, primarily as marriage bonds or marriage licenses. These records usually indicate where a bride and groom were wed and details of the ceremony.

Source Information

Index compiled from county courthouse marriage records by Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research (P.O. Box 740, Orem, Utah 84059).

With some noted exceptions all marriage records in this collection can be found at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are also available through Family History Centers throughout the United States. For specific source information, click here for a list of the counties included in this data set and their corresponding FHL microfilm numbers on which the records may be found. If a FHL microfilm number is not listed for your county of interest contact that county's courthouse and inquire about their research procedures.