June 5, 2026
Last week I discussed birth and death certificates. Two other types of vital records, marriages and divorces, are also important to genealogists.
Marriage records are especially useful since they mark the merging of two families. They are also often the only source of a woman’s maiden name. A maiden name opens an avenue of research into a new ancestral branch.
Because marriage is a contract which often involves transfers of money and land, counties have kept marriage records for much longer than birth and death records. Marriage records are usually considered public and open to everyone.
Since so many marriage records are digitized, access is usually easy. Websites such as Ancestry and Family Search have large collections of county marriage records. These records can include information such as full name of the bride and the groom, parents’ names, ages, residence location, occupations and witnesses’ names.
If you are unable to find marriage records online, you can order them from the county clerk or recorder’s office. Marriages most often occurred in the county of the bride’s residence, but they could occur anywhere. If you don’t find a record in the bride’s county, check the groom’s county of residence. Also check nearby counties, even if they are over a state line.
Some couples eloped to “Gretna Greens” where marriage laws may have been laxer. Places such as Reno, Nevada and Elkton, Maryland are well-known “Gretna Greens,” but there were many others throughout the United States. If you can’t find a marriage record, consider whether the couple eloped.
Divorce records are another vital record that can be helpful to genealogists. Fewer people were involved in divorces, but for those who were, the records can be a goldmine of information.
Before the mid-19th century, divorce was rare. After that period, it was more common, and the records are relatively easy to access. The big difficulty is determining if someone was divorced.
Newspapers often published lists of divorcing couples. Digital newspapers for many areas are available. State historic newspaper projects and Chronicling America are free. Other websites such as Newspapers.com and Genealogy Bank are pay-for-view sites.
Beginning in 1880, the census asked for marital status, including whether someone was divorced. However, divorce was considered shameful, so people sometimes lied rather than admitting they were divorced. Finding a married couple living apart may be a clue that they were divorced, even if one or both indicate they’re widowed.
Accessing divorce records is straightforward. Divorces are considered civil lawsuits, so they are housed at the county courthouse clerk’s office. Older records may have been transferred to the state archives. Some newer records may be closed for privacy reasons.
The information on divorce records is well worth obtaining. The records usually contain the date and place of the marriage, the wife’s maiden name, names and ages of minor children and the reasons for the divorce.
Governmental vital records are major sources for adding to a family tree. Marriage and divorce records are especially useful because they are usually more accessible than many official birth and death records. Marriage records are especially valuable because they reach further back in time than many records.
Carol Stetser
Researcher
Larimer County Genealogical Society