A: U.S. RECORDS
1: Records
2: Location, Maps, Geo
3: Regions / States
4: Timelines & Histories |
B: VITAL RECORDS
1: Vital Rec.
2: Birth
3: Adoption
4: Marriage
5: Death, Obits
6: Cemetery |
C: CENSUS
1: Records
2: By Decades |
D: IMMIGRATION
1: Records
2: Passenger / Nat.
3: Other
4: Migration |
E: MILITARY
1: Records
2: By Conflict |
F: OTHER RECORDS
1: Religious
2: Land, Probate, Tax
3: Court
4: News.
5: Arch. / Lib.
6: Help
7: Misc.
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Partners: FamilySearch Ancestry Findmypast MyHeritage | Websites: FS Wiki GenealogyLinks
Goal B4: Explore marriage records.
Marriage records are helpful in establishing family relationships for ancestors, and they often provide evidence for parents of the married couple.
ChoicesVault
A Learn about marriage records and customs.
Class Outlines: Basic
Summary
- Learn how to find and use marriage records in genealogical research.
- Understanding marriage customs and history can clarify trends or why a record may not be available.
- Introduction: Get an introduction to marriage records in these articles.
FS—Finding Your Family in U.S. Marriage Records
TH—Marriage Records - Watch this video for an overview of U.S. marriage records.
AAC—Vital Records - Marriages—4:05 - Here is some advice for beginning marriage record research.
AF—Marriage Research Advice for Beginners - 2022 - Records: Learn more about marriage records in the United States.
AC—Marriage Records
AF—6 Frequently Asked Questions About Marriage Records - 2018 - Learn about marriage licenses and marriage certificates.
AC—Marriage License
AC—Marriage Certificates - Learn about different types of marriage records that are available.
Marriage Records: What They Are and 7 Resources to Help You Find Them - 2022 - Learn about marriage records created by the government.
BOU—Government Marriage Records for Your Family History Research—12:43 - 2020
- * Proficient: Using the articles in this Choice, write down key learnings for marriage records.
Record Search Practice |
Robert Esdras Bunker was married in Utah. Use the "FS: U.S., Western States Marriage Index" QUIKLink below to answer these questions:
- Who did Robert Esdras Bunker marry?
- When did they marry?
- Where did they marry?
- Click the QUIKLink mentioned above.
- In the search screen, enter "Robert Esdras" as the first name and " Bunker" as the last name.
- In the search results screen, click the document for Robert Esdras Bunker.
- Read the information in the center column.
- Robert married Annie Elizabeth Mathews.
- The couple was married on 20 Dec. 1904.
- They were married in St. George, Washington, Utah.
(Contributed by Brent Bunker )
QUIKLinks
B Find marriage records, indexes, and alternatives.
Summary
- Marriage records can be found in multiple locations, such as counties, towns, or churches.
- Marriage indexes can provide important information.
- Learn how to find U.S. marriage records.
FS—How to Find United States Marriage Records
QUIZ
FS—Finding US Marriage Records: Places to Look - Here are some basic strategies for locating marriage records.
FHD—5 Strategies for Locating Marriage Records - 2019
LT—Tying the Knot: Ancestral Marriage Records and Where You Might Find Them - Learn how to look for different types of marriage records in your research.
AJC—Are You Finding All Your Ancestor's Marriage Records? - Learn about alternative marriage records and marriage bonds, and how to use them.
FL—Back to the Basics with Marriage Records Part 2: Substitute Marriage Records
AF—Marriage Bonds: A Closer Look at Marriage Records #2
- Learn how engagement announcements can provide research clues.
MH Wiki—Engagement Announcements - Ancestry: Watch this Ancestry video for tips on finding marriage records on Ancestry.
AC—Finding Marriage Records—30:00
- Worksheets: Download marriage worksheet forms from the Family Tree Magazine site.
Marriage Indexes and Alternative Records
- Learn about using marriage indexes to provide clues about ancestors.
AC—Marriage Index—22:00
- Explore the
Western States Marriage Index. - Alternative Records: Watch the video or read the article to finding clues about marriages in other records.
AC—Clues in Non-Marriage Records—29:00
22 Ways to Find Ancestors Marriage Information - This video helps you with hard-to-find marriage records.
AC—Little-Used Marriage Records—29:00
- * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for finding marriage records. Then use the learnings for marriage record searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.
C Learn how to trace female ancestors in your family tree.
Class Outlines: Basic
- Strategies: Learn strategies for finding females in your family tree.
AAC—Finding the Females in Your Family Tree—Video series - Learn more about tracing females in your ancestry.
AJC—3 Practical Strategies for Finding Female Ancestors
BYU—Who's the Wife?—16:58
- Learn how to find all the daughters in a given family in your tree.
AJC: Finding All of the Daughters in the Family Tree - 2018 - Here's a case study on combining strategies to find a female ancestor.
LT: Searching for Sarah: Strategies for Researching Female Ancestors - Maiden Names: Learn how to find female ancestors by maiden names.
AC—Finding Maiden Names
GC—Maiden Name - Here are some additional techniques for finding maiden names in research.
TH—Top 10 Sources for Locating Maiden Names
FHD—7 Little-Used Tricks for Finding That Missing Maiden Name - 2023 - Watch these videos for tips on finding maiden names.
AAC—How to Find a Maiden Name—2:03
AC—Finding Women's Maiden Names—24:08
- * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for marriage record alternatives and female names. Then use the learnings for searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.
D Learn about using divorce records for research.
- Introduction: Get an overview of divorce records.
MH Wiki—Divorce Records
AC—Divorce Actions - Clues: Learn about research clues available in divorce records.
AC—A Divorce Is Never Just a Divorce—25:06
- Early America: Get insights into divorce records for early Americans.
AR—Divorce; Dilemma For Early Americans - Tracing: Learn how to trace the splits of divorced ancestors.
LT—Divorce and Your Ancestors: Tracing the Split - By State: Explore divorce records by state on Ancestor Hunt.
- * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for divorce records. Then use the learnings for divorce record searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.