Process for Obtaining Marriage Records in Maryland

Why would you want to look for marriage records in Maryland? There is a fairly common reason for searching marriage records: you may have reason to check out the marital history of a person--a potential spouse for yourself or your child, or anyone else you care about.

There is also an area of research--genealogical research-- that has become popular in recent times and you can use marriage records to track someone who has been lost for generations, perhaps for more than a century. This becomes particularly useful when you are trying to track your roots and perhaps making your family tree.

You need to understand that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants. People came here from different parts of Europe over the last century, from all parts of the world. People with roots back in another country, and sometimes a relative or family friend newly arrived from the old country may want to get in touch.

This is especially true in Maryland. As one of the earliest pioneer colonies, set up even before King Charles I, Maryland remains not only among the most attractive parts of the northeastern U.S. but also among the most developed.

Marriage records in Maryland are an index of the stability and the mobility of its population. Within the USA, large numbers have moved over the decades from one end of the country to another, and even close relatives have lost touch with one another over time. Sometimes divorces and remarriages cause once-close relationships to be destroyed.

In the process, siblings are cut off from each other. Surnames change. As the years pass, younger generations often know little or nothing of their parents’ relatives.

With economic ups and downs, wars and migrants in search of work, people sometimes move not only from place to place, but up or down the social strata.  This leaves no trace behind of their previous identities. People also change communities.

There was a time when people kept to their own communities and married within them. In those days, you might reliably guess about a person’s ethnic or national background by the name. Now those communal bonds are loosening up, and people marry outside their community or social grouping. There are many reasons why you, and so many others, may be searching for marriage records these days, but these records need to authentic and reliable.

The Importance of Authentic Records Today

In most cases, marriage records along with other vital records are searched because they are the most authentic. You will find that these are official documents that are issued by the local or state governments and thus are accurate. The information they carry identifies the two people getting married including the bride’s maiden name and residential address, their parents, and maybe even the bride’s mother’s maiden name.

What is more, a marriage record will include the names of witnesses and that of the person conducting the ceremony, complete with their signatures. As such you will find that the information could not have been more authentic.

Marriage Records are Considered Public Domain 

Are you aware of the fact that in the U.S., you have the legal right to access your copy of these marriage records? All you have to do is establish the fact that you are a citizen of the country and can receive the copy if you request it from the right authority. If you can do this, you can receive the marriage records legally, very quickly and without any hassles.

In principle, all states in the U.S. are bound under law to maintain updated marriage records and other vital statistics including birth and death records. All the states are also legally bound to provide you access to these marriage records. That holds true for Maryland as well. You just need to know how to go about getting them.

Accessing Your Copy of  Marriage Records

You can access all vital records for the State of Maryland from either Annapolis or Baltimore. County civil marriage records from 1914 to 1950 (and indexes for 1914-1930) may be requested from Maryland State Archives, Hall of Records Building, 350 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, MD 21401. You can also call 800-235-4045 (MD toll free) or 410-974-3914, or fax 410-974-3895.

Earlier marriages, usually from the 1770s to 1919, are held with the Circuit Court Clerk where the license was issued or at the Maryland State Archives. You can track Maryland marriages from June 1951 at the State of Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records, Metro Executive Building, 4201 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215-0020. You can also call 410-225-5988 or 800-832-3277.

Some records are at both locations, but the two databases are mostly unduplicated.

Remember the Following When You are Applying for Marriage Records in Maryland

When you are applying to receive your copy of marriage records in Maryland, you need to furnish accurate information. This is very important because if you do not do this, the record that you receive may have errors in it. After all, there may be two people in the state who have the same name and you do not want a mix-up.

So, always furnish as much information as possible when you are submitting your request. When applying for a copy of the marriage license, here’s what you should provide…

•    The husband’s full name (the last name should be in capital letters)
•    The wife’s full maiden name (the last name should be in capital letters)
•    The date when the marriage took place
•    The place where the marriage happened
•    Your relationship to the party
•    You need to state why you need access to the record
•    Your own address and name
•    Your own state and driver’s license number (this is necessary in some counties)
•    Your signature