District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, & Virginia, 1740-1920 Marriage Index

This data set contains information on approximately 250,000 individuals who were married between 1740 and 1920 in select Mid-Atlantic cities and counties.

Generally, you can learn the following information about an individual listed in this data set:

• Full name
• Name of spouse
• Marriage date
• Location of marriage record (for example, a county, church, city, or newspaper)
• The Family History Library microfilm, microfiche, or book in which you may be able to learn more information about the marriage

You may wish to use the resources at the Family History Library to verify or expand upon the information included here. It is important to note, however, that while microfilm can be borrowed from your local Family History Library, books and microfiche are usually not loaned out. By locating a copy of the original marriage record, you may be able to learn a great deal of additional information. For example, you will probably be able to determine the religious affiliation of the couple. With this knowledge you can research local churches for record of children or burials. Simply knowing where an ancestor's wedding took place can provide clues to help you further your research as well. Once you learn the location of the wedding, you can look for notice of that wedding in local newspapers. Or, since weddings usually took place near the bride's family, you can search local resources for record of nearby relatives.

This data set was produced in collaboration with Liahona Research of Orem, Utah and The Genealogical Research Library.

Locations Covered by this Data Set

District of Columbia

Registration of marriages began in the District of Columbia in 1811 and have been kept by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Marriage License Bureau. Please note that some of the marriages included here occurred before official registration was required.

The following District of Columbia locations and time periods are covered by this data set:

• Alexandria County, 1801-1845
• Washington County, 1811-1850
• City of Washington, 1801-1900

Delaware

State registration of marriages in Delaware began in 1847 and are available from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. As early as 1832, counties began keeping record of marriages. Please note that some of the marriages included here occurred before official registration was required.

The following Delaware counties/cities and time periods are covered by this data set:

• Kent County, 1684-1899
• New Castle County, 1684-1889
• Sussex County, 1645-1894
• City of Middletown, 1849
  
• City of Milford, 1810
  
• City of Newark, 1822-1849
  
• City of Wilmington, 1805-1849
  
• Unknown location, 1657-1895

Maryland

Since 1640, the clergy in Maryland have kept marriage banns and registers. Since 1777, county clerks have issued marriage licenses which have been kept by the circuit court of each county and in the State Archives.

The following Maryland counties and time periods are covered by this data set:

• Anne Arundel County, 1851-1891
  
• Caroline County, 1851-1865
  
• Carroll County, 1851-1899
  
• Cecil County, 1787 & 1851-1863
  
• Dorchester County, 1851-1869
  
• Frederick County, 1851-1865
  
• Harford County, 1851-1865
  
• Montgomery County, 1851-1875
  
• Prince Georges County, 1851-1886
  
• Queen Annes County, 1851-1858
  
• Saint Marys County, 1851-1863
  
• Somerset County, 1851-1878
  
• Washington County, 1851-1860
  
• Worcester County, 1851-1864

Virginia

In Virginia, beginning in 1660, a couple could marry by posting a bond with civil authorities or publishing banns at church. While reporting was required after 1780, marriages were sometimes reported before then. Record of marriages that took place between 1853 and 1935 are available at the Archives Division of the Virginia State Library.

The following Virginia counties/cities and time periods are covered by this data set:

• Albemarle County, 1851-1868
  
• Amelia County, 1851-1854
  
• Amherst County, 1851-1854
  
• Arlington County, 1851-1853
  
• Bedford County, 1851-1855
  
• Berkeley County, 1851-1858
  
• Boone County, 1854-1862
  
• Botetourt County, 1851-1853
  
• Brooke County, 1851-1863
  
• Brunswick County, 1851-1861, 1866 & 1899
  
• Caroline County, 1851-1853 & 1857
  
• Campbell County, 1851-1855 & 1887
  
• Charlotte County, 1851-1862
  
• Dinwiddie County, 1851-1852
  
• Essex County, 1851-1861
  
• Fauquier County, 1851-1897
  
• Floyd County, 1851
  
• Fluvanna County, 1853-1859
  
• Franklin County, 1851-1858
  
• Goochland County, 1851-1853
  
• Greenbrier County, 1851-1863
  
• Greensville County, 1851-1852
  
• Halifax County, 1851-1854
  
• Hampshire County, 1851-1863
  
• Hancock County, 1851-1863
  
• Harrison County, 1851-1863
  
• Henrico County, 1851-1860
  
• Highland County, 1851
  
• Isle of Wight County, 1851-1853
  
• Jackson County, 1851
  
• Kanawha County, 1851-1853
  
• Lee County, 1851-1900
  
• Lewis County, 1851
  
• Louisa County, 1851-1856
  
• Lunenburg County, 1851-1853
  
• Marion County, 1851-1863
  
• Marshall County, 1851-1863
  
• Mason County, 1851-1863
  
• Mecklenburg County, 1851-1853
  
• Middlesex County, 1851-1854
  
• Montgomery County, 1851-1856
  
• Nelson County, 1851-1865
  
• Nicholas County, 1853-1861
  
• Northampton County, 1851-1871
  
• Orange County, 1851-1865
  
• Page County, 1851-1900
  
• Patrick County, 1852-1899
  
• Pendleton County, 1851-1853
  
• Pittsylvania County, 1851-1877
  
• Powhatan County, 1851-1853
  
• Prince Edward County, 1853-1866 & 1878
  
• Raleigh County, 1851-1859
  
• Randolph County, 1851-1863
  
• Richmond County, 1851-1853
  
• Ritchie County, 1851-1863
  
• Roane County, 1856-1863
  
• Rockbridge County, 1851-1885
  
• Scott County, 1851-1853
  
• Shenandoah County, 1851-1857
  
• Southampton County, 1851-1853
  
• Spotsylvania County, 1851-1853
  
• Tazewell County,1851-1854
  
• Taylor County, 1853-1863
  
• Tyler County, 1851-1852
  
• Upshur County, 1851-1863
  
• Wayne County, 1853-1863
  Wetzel County, 1854-1863
  
• Wirt County, 1854-1863
  
• Wise County, 1856-1900
  
• City of Fredericksburg, 1851-1860
  
• City of Richmond, 1851-1869