What Comprises Marriage Records?

Marriage records generally comprise of marriage licenses, marriage registers, and marriage certificates. Marriage licenses are the most common, but they do not always prove that the marriage took place. Licenses only show that a couple intended and had permission to marrybut may or may not have gone through with the ceremony.  

Marriage records are the first vital records to become available in the U.S. dating back to mid-1800s. Compared with other vital records, the search for marriage records should be made on a wider scale since people can get married in almost any place.

The most difficult marriage records to find are marriage certificates. Copies of marriage certificates are not usually kept by the government registrars back in the old days although some archives may keep a few of them. One of the best ways to find a marriage certificate is browsing through old marriage records at home. 

Marriage records may also include marriage banns, marriage bonds, and/or consent affidavits. Marriage banns are often posted in public places and may be customarily read in churches for three consecutive Sundays. This gives any person with a legitimate reason to prevent the marriage the chance to come forward.

Conversely, marriage bonds ensure that there is no moral or legal reason for the marriage not to take place and that the couple will not become charity cases. Marriage bonds are posted by the groom with another person (often the father or brother of the bride). The bonds are used to pay for the litigation cost should the marriage becomes nullified.

In the event that the bride and/or the groom are under the legal age for marriage, a parent or a guardian is asked to give a verbal permission to the union. In some cases, handwritten or printed consent affidavits are used to express permission for the marriage to take place.

The Many Uses of Marriage Records

The information contained in marriage records vary according to the location and the time when the marriage took place. In general though, marriage records are helpful in many ways. Since they are a widely accessible vital record, marriage records come as a convenient aid in several legal transactions and personal endeavors. 

·         Along with social security records, driver’s license, bank records, and Internal Revenue Service records, marriage records are required when changing a woman’s name to use her husband’s surname. 

·         Marriage records can helpfully establish one’s age in case a person’s original birth certificate is permanently lost or destroyed.

·         For adopted children and children whose live-in single parent refuses to reveal the identity of the other parent, marriage records can provide clues to track down birth parents.

·         Marriage records can help you check if your future spouse is free to marry.

·         Marriage records can prove your legitimacy as a spouse and help establish the rights of your children.

·         For genealogical researches, marriage records can be a useful way to find out the legitimacy of certain members in your family tree.

·         Marriage records provide clues as to the number of times an ancestor married and/or divorced.

·         The information you gathered from the birth records of some members of the family can be substantiated using marriage records.

RecordsSiteReviews’ Marriage Records page conveniently supplies you with everything you need to know about finding and getting your marriage certificate.