Pennsylvania Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Pennsylvania

What is in the Collection?
This collection is an electronic index of marriages for the years 1709 to 1940 taken from the following sources:


 * Indexed church records
 * Civil registrations
 * The Internet indexing project sponsored by the LDS Church

Church records and civil registration were official sources and are some of the most reliable sources of family history information.

This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
For details about the contents of these records and help using them see the wiki article Marriages Vital Record Index Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Marriage entries usually contain some or all of the following:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name and age of groom
 * Groom's race and marital status
 * Birthplace and birthdate of groom
 * Names of groom's parents
 * Name and age of bride
 * Bride's race and marital status
 * Birthplace of and birthdate of bride
 * Names of bride's parents
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

Coverage Table
A Coverage table for this collection is available in the wiki article Pennsylvania Marriages, Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Coverage Map
To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Pennsylvania county marriages, click here.

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before using this collection it is helpful to know: As you search, compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.
 * The name of your ancestor
 * At least one other piece of information

Search the Index
Search by name by visiting the Collection Page.
 * 1) Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have
 * 2) Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images
To view images in this collection:
 * 1) Look at the [External_Hyperlink Article Name Digital Folder Number List] [Formatting the link as an external hyperlink allows the user to keep the wiki article open] article to determine the folder/film number for the images you want to see
 * 2) Go to the Browse Page
 * 3) Select the Film number to view the images

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Finding the Original Source for an Entry in This Collection

Each entry in this index has a source listed which includes a batch number. You will need to trace the batch number for the individual entry to learn its source. Please see the following wiki articles for more information on batch numbers:


 * IGI
 * IGI Batch Number Descriptions
 * IGI Batch Numbers for the British Isles and North America

If an FHL film number is given in the entry for your ancestor, search for it in the FamilySearch Catalog.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the information to find other records such as birth, christening, census, land and death records.
 * Use the information to find additional family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name, especially French or Latin versions.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of Pennsylvania, United States Genealogy.
 * Search in the Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
 * Search in the FamilySearch Catalog

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

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