Marriage Records
Prior to 1853, when the commonwealth began recording vital statistics, marriage records were generally kept by the individual counties or cities. Very few Virginia marriage records before 1715 survive, and most counties have incomplete marriage records prior to the Revolutionary War. Ministers' returns were required by law beginning in 1780, so all marriages from that date would be of record in the county court clerk's office.
Beginning in 1853, statewide registration of marriages was required. These registers exist for all counties but may be incomplete, especially during the Civil War. The registers list the date of the marriage, the names of both parties, their ages, marital status, places of birth and residence, parents' names, the groom's occupation, and the name of the minister performing the marriage.
(summary from Research Notes Number 6: Using County and City Court Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia and from Genealogical Research at the Library of Virginia: A Guide to Resources, used with permission from the Library of Virginia)
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For a complete list of Swem Library’s holdings in this area, search the online catalog using the subject headings marriage licenses virginia and marriage records virginia, also marriage records virginia county name.
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The following are good compilations:
Crozier, William A. Early Virginia Marriages. Vol. 3 of Virginia County Records. (Baltimore, 1954. Orig. pub. 1906). Va. Ref. F 221 V75
Douglas, William. The Douglas Register: Being a Detailed Record of Births, Marriages, and Deaths Together With Other Interesting Notes…from 1750 to 1797….(Salem, Mass., 1997. Orig. pub. 1928). Va. Ref. F 232 G65D67 1997
Index to Marriage Notices in the Southern Churchman, 1835-1941 (Richmond, 1942). 2 vols. Va. Ref. F 225 H48
Marriage Notices from Richmond, Virginia, Newspapers, 1821-1840 (Richmond, 1988). Va. Ref. F 225 M114 1988
Marriage Notices from Richmond, Virginia, Newspapers, 1841-1853 (Richmond, 1997). Va. Ref. F 225 M1142 1997
Virginia Genealogical Society. Some Marriages in the Burned Records Counties of Virginia. (Richmond, 1972). Va. Ref. F 225 V85
Virginia Marriage Records from the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, The William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler’s Quarterly, indexed by Elizabeth P. Bentley. (Baltimore, 1982) Va. Ref. F 225 V883 1982
Virginia State Library. Guide to Church Records in the Archives Branch, Virginia State Library, compiled by Jewell T. Clark and Elizabeth T. Long. (Richmond, 1981)Va. Ref. CD 3568.5 V57 1981
Virginia Vital Records from the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler’s Quarterly, indexed by Judith McGhan. (Baltimore, 1982) Va. Ref. F 225 V93 1982
Vogt, John. Marriage Records in the Virginia State Library: A Researcher’s Guide. (Athens, Ga., 1984) Va. Ref. F 226 A1V6 1984
Wardell, Patrick G. Virginia/West Virginia Husbands and Wives (Bowie, Md.: 1994). 2 vols. F 225 W336
Wulfeck, Dorothy F. Marriages of Some Virginia Residents, 1607-1800. (Baltimore, 1986, reprint). 2 vols. Originally published 1961-1967. Va. Ref. F 225 W8 1986
