How to Find North Carolina Marriage Records
Finding North Carolina Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
- Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and begin at the creation of the county
- 1962 - counties began sending copies of marriage records to the state
Next Step: When did the marriage occur? [edit | edit source] |
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Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records
Marriages Before 1741[edit | edit source]
Records survive for few marriages that took place before 1741.
From 1669 to 1741, marriages were performed by clergy or civil authorities and were recorded in county records. Check the North Carolina Archives or the Family History Library to see what is available for the county of interest. Some records are available in the following Findmypast collection:
- United States Marriages – North Carolina, 1596-2016 ($) index and images
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases here, try searching for marriage information in other records.
| 1. Look first in | 2. Then search |
Marriages from 1741 to 1961[edit | edit source]
- Marriages are kept by the county clerk for each county and begin at the creation of the county
Different types of county marriage records are available in North Carolina in different time periods. In general, the following types of records are available:
- 1741-1851 Marriage bonds
- 1851-1868 Marriage bonds, licenses and certificates
- 1868-present Marriage licenses
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index[edit | edit source]
| Marriage Indexes and Digital Images | |||
| Database Name - Index and Image | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| Findmypast, United States Marriages, 1596-2016 | On Findmypast; ($) | ||
| FamilySearch, Marriages, 1762-1979 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; consult coverage table to identify counties and dates included | 649,806 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1741-2004 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 2,709,615 |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1741-2011 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | not stated |
| If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try: | |||
| Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| Ancestry, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 339,887 |
| FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1759-1979 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years | 2,128,230 | |
| State Archives of North Carolina Newspaper Notices, 1799-1893 | Indexes of marriage announcements compiled from five North Carolina newspapers dating 1799 to 1893 | ||
| Can't access Ancestry? | Visit your local family history center or your local public library. |
| No marriage record for your ancestor? |
Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
If you found the marriage information from the indexes above, there are two ways to obtain the marriage record:
OPTION 1
Marriage Records on Microfilm
Some county marriage records may be available from the North Carolina Archives or FamilySearch Centers and Libraries. With the county and date of marriage, use the table to determine how to make a search.
| North Carolina State Archives | FamilySearch Centers and Libraries |
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OPTION 2
Order the marriage record from the Register of Deeds in the county the marriage took place. List of county Register of Deeds contact information.
Still can't find your ancestor in the above indexes? Try one of the following:
- Tips for searching online indexes
- Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive
- Try other records with marriage information
Marriages from 1962 to Present
[edit | edit source]
- 1962 - counties began sending copies of marriage records to the state
STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information in Index[edit | edit source]
| Marriage Indexes and Digital Images | |||
| Database Name - Index and Image | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| Findmypast, United States Marriages, 1596-2016 | On Findmypast; ($) | ||
| FamilySearch, Marriages, 1762-1979 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; consult coverage table to identify counties and dates included | 649,806 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1741-2004 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 2,709,615 |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1741-2011 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | not stated |
| If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try: | |||
| Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1759-1979 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years | 2,128,230 | |
| Can't access Ancestry? | Visit your local family history center or your local public library. |
| No marriage record for your ancestor? |
Search for Gretna Greens-- locations away from the home county where marriage laws were less restrictive. |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
PART A: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records or the above indexes
- Copies of the marriage record may be ordered from the Register of Deeds at the County Courthouse.
- Copies of the marriage record may be ordered from the North Carolina Public Health, Vital Records Unit.
| To Order Marriage Certificates | |||
| From County Register of Deeds where Marriage occurred | North Carolina Public Health, Vital Records Unit | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Expedited service on VitalChek | Must have an exact date and county of marriage |
PART B: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage
- If you know the county of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the Register of Deeds at the County Courthouse.
- If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can try searching for marriage information in other records.
Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]
- Learn more about U.S. marriage records
- How to find U.S. birth records
- How to find U.S. marriage records
- How to find U.S. death records
- United States Record Finder
- United States, How to Use Marriage Records
- United States Marriage Records
- United States Vital Records
- U.S. Vital Records Overview
- Locating United States Vital Records
