West Virginia, Marriages, 1780-1970

What is in This Collection?

This collection consists of an index of West Virginia county marriage records. Data is searchable for all counties. However, records within each county may not be available for the full year range. It includes records from 1780 to 1970.

Early county marriage records were handwritten into bound books with multiple entries on each page. Early marriage bonds and licenses were usually handwritten on loose papers that were later bound. Pre-printed register books containing many entries per page were introduced in 1853. Beginning about 1895, the registers contained one entry per page.

Clerks of each County Court recorded marriages performed by religious or civil authorities. Records consist of bonds, applications, licenses, returns and marriage entries. The state of West Virginia began collecting marriages from the counties in 1964. Most marriages in a county were recorded except for certain religious groups that may have recorded marriages in their records but did not register them with the civil authorities.

Marriages began to be recorded as each County was created, some as early as 1780. This collection includes marriages as late as 1970. Counties in West Virginia recorded marriages to legalize marital relationships and to safeguard the interests of wives.

The marriage date, residence, and other facts that were current at the time the marriage occurred are quite reliable, though there is still a chance of misinformation. Other data such as age or birth place have more chance of error because they are based on the memory of the informant.

This publication includes the following counties: Brooke, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshal, Mason, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, McDowell, Wayne, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood, Wyoming,

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records: