User:WilliamsDa/Sandbox16

= Ohio Marriages - Why can't I find the record? = This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find marriage information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the previous page

Additional Databases

 * 1700s-1990s Ohio, County Marriages - ($), Index and images
 * |Google search for the names of the bride & groom & place of marriage
 * Abbreviated Index to Marriage & Death Notices in | Cincinnati Newspapers 1818-1920

Did they marry in a different place? - Gretna Greens
Cincinnati was an area where the normal restrictions on marriage did not get enforced. It has been called a "Gretna Green". People from Ohio may have married in a different state for similar reasons.
 * Click here to learn more about Gretna Greens

Why doesn't the record exist?
Marriage registration was handled by the counties until 1949, when the state vital records office kept the records.

Known Record Gaps
Many Hamilton County (includes Cincinnati) marriage records were destroyed by a courthouse fire in 1884.

Did they marry in a different place? - Gretna Greens
Cincinnati was an area where the normal restrictions on marriage did not get enforced. It has been called a "Gretna Green". People from Ohio may have married in a different state for similar reasons.
 * Click here to learn more about Gretna Greens

Other reasons why you cannot find the marriage

 * Be sure to have enough information about your ancestor to identify the correct record
 * Name of the groom or bride
 * Year of the marriage
 * Place of marriage (county)

Tips for finding marriages
Success with marriage records depends on a few key points.
 * Your ancestor's name may have been misindexed. Try searching using the spouse's name.
 * Expand the date range of the search.
 * Try searching with the state name only instead of by county.
 * Try different spelling variations of the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Try a given name search (leave out the last names)
 * if your ancestor's name is common, try adding more information to narrow the search.
 * Once you find your ancestor in an index, always look at the image to verify accuracy and see information not indexed.

Did they marry in a different place? - Gretna Greens
Cincinnati was an area where the normal restrictions on marriage did not get enforced. It has been called a "Gretna Green". People from Ohio may have married in a different state for similar reasons. (link to United States Guided Research page)
 * Click here to learn more about Gretna Greens