There is no doubt that the marriage records are extremely valuable sources of information for any person or family. They are now more easily accessible than ever before thanks to the electronic indexes, databases and search services which are available directly on the web. But do you know how to find the records which you are looking for exactly? Get some important advice which will help you with this.
Use a Name
The best way to find the marriage records which you require is to conduct a search by using the name of one of the spouses. If you are looking for information about your ancestors, you can ask older members of your family to provide the names which you need. Keep in mind that the search with the husband’s name produces more accurate results. This is because the wife would have changed her name after the marriage while her maiden name would be present on the marriage certificate. Of course, if you happen to have her maiden name and you are certain about it, you can use it without hesitation.
Define a Time Period
This will help you immensely with narrowing down the search. It is best if you have the precise date, but a month or a year will also do. If you do not have specific information, you can use deduction to define the time period of the marriage. You can use the birth dates of your ancestors and information which you have collected from stories to define the time period. It pays off to be prepared when you begin the actual search for the required marriage records. You will save a great deal of time and effort.
Specify the Location
It is really beneficial to use the place where your ancestors have got married specially if you search a national database. If you do not have the city or town name, the county name can be of great help too. Again, family stories can be of great help. You will benefit from using any genealogical information which you have collected already. If you know where the grandchildren or children of the couple were born, you can readily use the name of this place to narrow down the search.
Last, but not least, you should take your time when you search for marriage records. If you get several results which match your criteria, you should study them closely to identify the precise documents which you require. Use all of the information which you already have to make a decision.