February is the month of love, and it is only normal for us to wonder about the marriages of our ancestors. Have you been successful in finding all the marriage records you need? If not, then perhaps a little help in knowing where to find those records is in order. In a recent blogpost on theancestorhunt.com, the author outlines 22 different places where you can look to find marriage records. Here are just a few of those places to search.
Marriage Indexes: Wherever these are found, whether online or in a library or archive, they provide date and locations of marriages. But a word of caution here: these are probably compiled from marriage certificates, so remember that transcriptions may not always be correct.
Marriage certificates: This is always the best document for marriage information. They usually are completed and signed by the officiant.
Marriage licenses: This is a tricky source since marriage may not have been performed even when a license has been issued. You still need to do further research. One of the pluses of a marriage license is that the number of previous marriages will often be listed. Didn’t know your ancestor had been married before? Now you know!
Cemetery records: While a marriage date is not usually found in cemetery records, many times husband and wife are buried next to each other. This is especially helpful if you didn’t know the person was married. If that information isn’t included in the records, look to see the last name of the person buried next to your ancestor. If it is the same, that is at least a clue about possible relatives and even a spouse. Be sure to check the interment cards and plot deeds as well.
Draft cards: The applicant for the draft card will usually offer a contact person on the application, and if it is a wife may include that word in parentheses. There are no marriage dates but at least this is a clue about the marriage.
Military records: The next of kin information will usually include a spouse’s name and contact information, but not always the marriage date and place.
Death certificates: The marital status is usually included along with a name. Be careful to note if the married name of the wife is included or her maiden name. If it is her married name, further research is in order, but at least you have a first name to work with.
Personal bibles: If you’re lucky enough to have a family bible, much of the vital dates are included in one. Be sure to read all the information to see if there is more than one spouse listed.
This is just a short listing of all the available records where you can find marriage information. To see the complete list go to http://www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/22-ways-to-find-ancestors-marriage-information#.WnNU4ainHcu.
Another place to search is FamilySearch under marriage records. You might be surprised to know that there are 270 million records available there.