Delaware, Marriages and Marriage Licenses, 1683-1894

What is in This Collection?

The collection consists of an index to selected church marriages and marriage licenses from 1683-1894.

State registration of marriages began in 1847 as the recorder of deeds for each county began to send copies of marriages to the secretary of the State Board of Health. Vital registration was generally complied with after 1913 when the central Bureau of Vital Statistics was established according to state law, which required registration of vital records. Copies of marriage records for the most recent 40 years can be obtained by writing to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, or for earlier records, from the Delaware Public Archives in Dover, Delaware.

Population coverage is nearly 100% after statewide registration began in 1847. Coverage is not as complete for some earlier years.

Counties in Delaware recorded marriages to safeguard the interests of the wife and other legal heirs by documenting marriages and property ownership. Marriage records are considered to be primary source records. Information in these records is usually reliable, including the marriage date and place and residences of the bride and groom.

Originally, marriage records were handwritten. Later they were typed on pre-printed forms with multiple entries on each page. Marriage records were generally well preserved, though fires, floods, or other disasters may have destroyed some records.

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:

Marriage

• Groom's name and residence
• Groom's age, race, nativity and occupation
• Name of groom's father and place of nativity
• Name of groom's mother and place of nativity
• Marital status of the bride and groom
• Bride's name and residence
• Bride's age, race, and nativity
• Name of bride's father and place of nativity
• Name of bride's mother and place of nativity
• Name of the officiator
• Witnesses' names and their place of residence

Collection Content

Sample Image

• 

  1891 Marriage Record