Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records
Marriages Before 1848[edit | edit source]
- Statewide registration of marriages began in 1848; earlier records have been collected from other sources.
- Records before 1912 are kept at the New Jersey State Archives.
| Marriage Indexes and Digital Images | |||
| Database Name - Index and Image | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| Ancestry, New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 1,852,424 |
| FamilySearch, Marriages, 1682-1956 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to contract restrictions, images from some counties may not be viewed. | 300,071 | |
| Findmypast, United States Marriages, 1606-1981 | On Findmypast ($); index and some images. | ||
| If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try: | |||
| Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| NJ State Archives, Marriage Index, 1665-1799 | 1665-1799 at New Jersey State Archives; free index; $ to order copies. | 23,064 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1665-1800 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 27,582 |
| FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1678-1985 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. | 802,437 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1683-1802 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 26,952 |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1684-1895 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 48,711 |
| Can't access Ancestry? | Visit your local FamilySearch 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. |
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases above, try searching for marriage information in other records:
See Also
How to Protect Your Money in a New Jersey DivorceIf You File for Divorce, Can You Take it Back in New Jersey?| 1. Look first in | 2. Then search |
| Church Records Newspapers | Census Records Cemetery Records |
Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year
Marriages 1848 thru 1912[edit | edit source]
- Statewide registration of marriages began in 1848
- Records before 1912 are kept at the New Jersey State Archives
- Records from 1848 to the present are also kept by the Local Registrars for individual counties; however, many local pre-1910 records have not survived
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 | |
| Ancestry, New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 1,852,424 |
| FamilySearch, Marriages, 1682-1956 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to contract restrictions, images from some counties may not be viewed. | 300,071 | |
| Findmypast, United States Marriages, 1606-1981 | On Findmypast ($); index and some images. | ||
| If you do not locate the marriage in the above, try: | |||
| Database Name-Index Only | Link or links to access database | # of records | |
| NJ State Archives, Marriage Index, 1848-1878 | 1848-1878 at New Jersey State Archives; free index; marriages filed with the Secretary of State from May 1848 through 31 May 1878. | 294,534 | |
| FamilySearch, Marriage Index, 1678-1985 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. | 802,437 | |
| Ancestry, Marriages, 1684-1895 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 48,711 |
| Internet Archive, New Jersey Marriages, 1901-2016 | On Internet Archive; free; PDF files containing indices only, some files multi-year; INCOMPLETE; obtained by Reclaim the Records. | ||
| Can't access Ancestry? | Visit your local FamilySearch 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 did not find your ancestor in the above database, follow the instructions below:
PART A: 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 county registrar or the New Jersey State Archives.
- If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.
PART B: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records
- Order a copy of a marriage record for a fee from the county registrar or the New Jersey State Archives.
OR
- View a copy of a marriage record on microfilm at a Family Search Center:
Some images of county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by county.
- Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
- Some microfilms may be available to view at a local FamilySearch Center.
Marriages 1913 to Present[edit | edit source]
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 | |
| Ancestry, New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 | Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers | $, Use your own Ancestry subscription | 1,852,424 |
| FamilySearch, Marriages, 1682-1956 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to contract restrictions, images from some counties may not be viewed. | 300,071 | |
| Findmypast, United States Marriages, 1606-1981 | On Findmypast ($); index and some images. | ||
| 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, 1678-1985 | On FamilySearch; free; INCOMPLETE for all counties and years; due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. | 802,437 | |
| Internet Archive, New Jersey Marriages, 1901-2016 | On Internet Archive; free; PDF files containing indices only, some files multi-year; INCOMPLETE; obtained by Reclaim the Records. | ||
| Can't access Ancestry? | Visit your local FamilySearch 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. Marriage records may be requested from the New Jersey Department of Health OR the County Registrar where the marriage occurred. For genealogical purposes, the marriage must have taken place more than 50 years ago and both parties must be deceased. Otherwise, proof of relationship is required to obtain the record.
| To Order Marriage Certificates | |||
| Local County Registrar | New Jersey Department of Health | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee | May be more expensive than ordering from the county |
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 the marriage date for a fee from the Local County Registrar or the New Jersey Department of Health.
- 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 StatesVital Records
- U.S. Vital Records Overview
- Locating United States Vital Records
