Marriage records from Church of England parish registers can be found dating back to the 16th century. Initially little information was recorded in the register apart from the date and the couple's names. From 1754 new standardised forms were introduced which requested extra information, including the bride and grooms parish of residence and witnesses names. From July 1837 civil registration was introduced and marriage certificates can be used to trace a couples wedding ceremony.
English marriages in early parish registersEnglish marriages in early parish registers
From 1538, clergy in England were required to keep written records of baptisms, marriages and burials within their parish. To start with there was little organisation with the information often being recorded on loose sheets of paper, many of which have not survived. In 1598 a new order was issued for all marriages to be written on parchment with previous entries to be copied in retrospectively. There is a better survival rate from this date.
A majority of entries for marriages in English parish registers do not give much detail. Entries state the date of the marriage and the names of the bride and groom. In rare occasions more information is given, such as the couples residence. Some parishes kept separate registers for baptisms, marriages and burials whereas others kept them all together in chronological order.
English marriages in parish registers from 1754English marriages in parish registers from 1754
The Hardwicke Act of 1753 took effect from 1754. A result of this was pre-printed standarised forms being supplied to all Church of England clergy. It was essential that all marriages were registered using these forms. From this date the following information is supplied:
- The bride and groom’s names
- Their parish of residence
- Their marital status
- Their place of marriage
- Their date of marriage
- Whether they married by banns or by licence
- The name of the minister who married them
- The signatures or marks of the bride and groom
- The names of at least two witnesses along with their signatures or marks
To escape the stricter rules required for marriage from this time, many couples eloped to the Scottish borders to marry where the rules were more relaxed. If you therefore cannot find a marriage for your ancestors in England, consider looking in Scottish registers. The best known example is that of Gretna Green, situated just over the Scottish border.
Civil RegistrationCivil Registration
Civil registration began in July 1837. From this date you can find official marriage certificates. These supply the below detail:
- Date of marriage
- Place of marriage
- Full names of the bride and groom
- Ages of the bride and groom (sometimes written only as 'full age' if they were aged 21 or over)
- Bride and groom’s marital status (i.e. single, widowed, divorced)
- Occupation of the bride and groom
- Residence of the bride and groom (may be a street address or the name of a parish)
- Bride and groom's fathers' names and their occupations
- Whether the couple married by banns or licence
- The name of the person who performed the ceremony
- The signature or mark of the bride and groom (a mark is usually shown as an 'X')
- The signatures of two witnesses (these may or may not be relatives of the married couple)
From 4 May 2021, mother's names were included for the first time on English marriage certificates and the process became electronic. Couples now sign a marriage schedule and receive their marriage certificate at a later date
Nonconformist marriages in EnglandNonconformist marriages in England
Nonconformists understandably wished to marry in a chapel of their own faith rather than one of the Church of England. From 1754 however only Quakers and Jews were allowed to do so. No marriages from other religions were legally recognised. This means from 1754 you will find nonconformists marrying within the Church of England. You may also find a second marriage for them in their chapel of choice.
Where to find the recordsWhere to find the records
Parish registers, including those after the 1754 form change, are mostly held at local archives. Many have been digitised and are available online including the England, Lancashire, Manchester Parish Marriages, 1570-1940 and England, Cornwall Parish Marriages, 1569-1938 collections on MyHeritage. Where these are not yet digitised, you can choose to view the registers on microfilm at the relevant archive or request a look-up service from the archive staff. Many transcripts are also available online, including the England, Cheshire Parish Marriagesand Leicestershire Parish, Marriage Records record sets on MyHeritage.
English marriage certificates can be ordered for a fee via the General Register Office (GRO). To order a marriage certificate, it helps to have the correct reference. These can be found on subscription sites such as MyHeritage's collection England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1837-2005. After using the search to find a marriage for your ancestors you will be provided with the quarter in which they married. Quarter 1 (M) refers to January, February and March. Quarter 2 (J) refers to April, May and June. Quarter 3 (S) refers to July, August and September. Lastly, Quarter 4 (D) refers to October, November and December. Also given will be the registration district, the volume number and the page number. These details can then be used to ensure you order the correct marriage certificate from the above places.
Details of some civil marriages can also be found online, such as in MyHeritage's England Marriages, 1538-1973 collection which has over 38 million records.
Research your ancestors on MyHeritage
See alsoSee also
Explore more about marriage records in EnglandExplore more about marriage records in England
- England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1837-2005record collection on MyHeritage
- MyHeritage's England Marriages, 1538-1973 record collection on MyHeritage
- England - Marriage & Divorce record sets at MyHeritage
- Getting the best out of the online Local BMD indexes at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- England and Wales – Rummaging in the Parish Chests webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
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