Rivest Marriage Index

The Rivest Marriage Index is an important source for Québec marriages. The index includes over 230,000 marriages. Most entries are handwritten. The entries are filed by the bride's surname.

Years and Localities Indexed
The Rivest Marriage Index covers Catholic marriages from 1670 to 1972. It includes the parishes from the following districts and parishes:


 * Joliette Prothonotarial District
 * Saint-Jérome Prothonotarial District
 * Mont-Laurien Prothonotarial District
 * Sorel Prothonotarial District
 * St. Roch-de-L’Achigan Parish
 * St. Roch-sur-Richelieu Parish

Information in the Index
Each record lists:


 * The name of the bride.
 * The name of the groom.
 * The date of marriage (day, month, year).
 * The parish where they were married.
 * If the bride was a widow or the groom was a widower.
 * The name of the parents (if the person was never married before).
 * The name of the previous spouse (if the person was a widow or widower).

The record often shows:


 * If a parent of the bride or groom is dead.
 * If anyone in the entry is from another parish or a province other than Québec.

Organization of the Index
The information is on cards. There is one card for each marriage. Brides are listed with their maiden surname.

The order of the cards is a little unusual:


 * 1) The cards are grouped together by the bride's surname. The bride's given name is ignored. The surname groups are put in alphabetical order.
 * 2) Within each group, the individual cards are then alphabetized by the groom's name.

For example:

Spelling variations of a surname may be filed together. For example, Grandmond and Grandmont are filed together.

Anonymous names are filed in the “A” section under “Anonymes.” They are then alphabetized by the groom's surname. These include marriage entries where:


 * There was no name for the bride.
 * There was no surname for the bride.
 * The bride's surname was not known because of an illegitimate birth.

Common Terms and Abbreviations
For the English translation of common terms that appear in the index, see “Key Words” in the Quebec Language and Languages.

Finding a Marriage Record
Step 1. Look for the bride's surname in the Names and Film Numbers list. (If a surname appears on two films, look at the grooms' names to decide which film you need.) Write down the film number.

Step 2. Get a copy of the microfilm.

Step 3. Find the record on the microfilm.

Step 4. Use the information to find the marriage in the original parish register (see Quebec Church Records).

Finding the Parents of a Widow or Widower:
Parents are only listed the first time a person was married. If a record has “ve,” “vve,” “vf,” or “veuf” by a person's name, the person was widowed and the previous spouse is listed. To find the names of the parents, look at the record of the previous marriage. (Remember, it will be filed under the bride's previous surname.)

Names and Film Numbers
These records are digitized and available online. However, they are restricted to be used in a Family History Center near you.
 * Index to marriages of Quebec and adjacent areas, 1670-1964, approx. Lucien Rivest.