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U.S. States – Marriage Index (1728-1850)
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About the Data
This data set is an index
to approximately 1,164,000 individuals who were married in various counties in
the states of Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
between 1728 and 1850. For a list of which counties from these states are included
in this data set and the years for which there are records covered in this index,
click here. Please note that not every county from the above listed states are
included in this index. 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. Information provided in this index includes
the name of the individual, spouse's name, marriage date, and marriage place.
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 found in this index. In most cases, the marriage
records in this collection can be found on microfilm at the Family History Library
(FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah. To see a list of the counties in this index and
their corresponding FHL microfilm numbers, click here.
Field Example
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 — The name of the spouse of the primary individual (i.e. the
bride or groom in the marriage record).
Marriage date — The date the marriage took place. In some cases, the date listed is the date of the marriage license rather than the actual date of marriage.
Location — The county in which the marriage took place.
More About the Data
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 these cases, both marriages have been left in the index in order to provide clues to the researcher of family in other counties.
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
Dodd, Jordan R., edit. Kentucky Marriages: Early to 1850. Compiled, extracted, and transcribed by Liahona Research from county courthouse marriage records on microfilm available at the FHL.
Dodd, Jordan R., edit. North Carolina Marriages: Early to 1850. Compiled, extracted, and transcribed by Liahona Research from county courthouse marriage records on microfilm available at the FHL.
Dodd, Jordan R., edit. Tennessee Marriages: Early to 1850. Compiled, extracted, and transcribed by Liahona Research from county courthouse marriage records on microfilm available at the FHL.
Dodd, Jordan R., edit. Virginia Marriages: Early to 1850. Compiled, extracted, and transcribed by Liahona Research from county courthouse marriage records on microfilm available at the FHL.
For specific county source information see the list of counties and corresponding FHL microfilm roll numbers.
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