Are marriage records public in PA?
According to the provisions of Pennsylvania state law, records of marriages licensed within the state’s jurisdiction are public record. However, certified copies of Pennsylvania marriage records are not available to the public except to the persons named on the record and those authorized by court order.
When did Pennsylvania start keeping marriage records?
October 1885
Most counties began keeping marriage records in October 1885. You can obtain copies from the clerk of the orphans’ court in the appropriate county. The Family History Library has copies of many marriage records, usually from 1885 to 1920, Justice of the Peace records may contain marriages before 1885.
How do I find someone’s marriage history?
Birth, death, marriage and divorce records are typically managed and made available at the local county clerk’s office where the event took place. States will also often have a department of health that can provide access to older vital records.
How do I find out if someone is married?
Go to the courthouse of the city where the marriage was likely to occur. Public records can be useful for finding out whether someone is married now, or what their marriage history has been in the past. Marriage records are public; you can usually see a copy for free or for a small fee.
How can you find out if someone is married in Tennessee?
If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person. Microfilm copies of pre-1861 marriage records are also available free on interlibrary loan.
What is the record of Pennsylvania marriages prior to 1810?
Search for something. An illustration of text ellipses. Search for something. RECORD OF PENNSYLVANIA MARRIAGES PRIOR TO 1810. Volume II. CLARENCE M. BUSCH. ■STATE PRINTER OF PENNPVLVANI A. 189o.
Where can I find marriage records in PA?
Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Pennsylvania Marriage Records. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Archives Printed Series, 1876. Series 2, Series 6. This database contains marriage records from four volumes of the Pennsylvania Archives.
Why was a marriage license issued in Pennsylvania?
Licenses were issued by the Provincial Secretary’s office in Pennsylvania’s early days in an effort to prevent clandestine marriages, though the licenses were not initially required for a couple to marry. The date on early licenses is the license date rather than the marriage date.
When did birth and death records start in PA?
Vital Statistics Records Birth and Death Records. On January 1, 1906, the newly established Pennsylvania Department of Health officially began to issue birth and death certificates. Prior to 1906, Pennsylvania births and deaths were recorded only sporadically by the counties and some cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.