Illinois
Statewide Marriage Index
1763–1900
An ongoing Project of the Illinois State Archives & the Illinois
State Genealogical Society.
Many of you are already aware of the following, but for those who
are not aware of this fine resource available for searching for marriage
records in Illinois, I am listing the following guidelines:
First, check the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900, to
see if you can find your ancestors listed. If you don't find them
the first time, then try different variations of the spellings. Also,
don't narrow your search to only the county you think they might have been
married in. I suggest doing a general search for the surname(s).
Before searching the Index, please read the following "Illinois State Marriage
Index Hints."
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Illinois
State Marriage Index Hints |
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Illinois
Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900 |
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If you find a marriage for your ancestor in the data base, then
you can request a copy of that record.
Obtaining
copies of original marriage records.
Copies of marriage records included in the Statewide Marriage Index
may be obtained from the Illinois Regional Archives Depository System if
IRAD holds marriage records for that county or from the county clerk in
the county in which the marriage occurred.
Requesting
a Marriage Record from IRAD.
Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) hold original marriage
records or microfilm copies for many Illinois counties. The IRAD holdings
include marriage records for over seventy of the 102 counties in Illinois.
Consult the Local Governmental Records Holdings Database to see
if IRAD has marriage records for the county and date of the marriage
you are requesting.
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IRAD
Local Government Records Holding Database |
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Type the search term MARRIAGE in the title field to return all marriage
records in the IRAD holdings.
If IRAD does have marriage records for the county you are
searching, and for the pertinent time period, write the appropriate IRAD
depository and include in your letter all of the information on the marriage
given in the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index.
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IRAD
Regional Archives Depositories Addresses and Phone Numbers |
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Marriage record searches are free, but a small copy fee will be
billed for records found. IRAD provides uncertified copies only. Certified
copies must be requested from the county clerk.
The research services of the IRAD system are provided at no charge.
Therefore, when requesting information by mail a self-addressed stamped
envelope is not necessary. However, there may be a photocopy fee for which
you will be billed. Unless an expenditure limit is set in advance by the
researcher, authorization to produce photocopies will be requested for
billings that exceed $5.00.
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IRAD Research
Policy |
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Requesting
a Marriage Record
from
a County Clerk.
County clerks are the official custodians of all marriage records
recorded in Illinois counties. To obtain copies of marriages found in the
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, write the appropriate county clerk and
include in your letter all of the information on the marriage given in
the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index. When requesting copies of marriage
records always ask for the return of the marriage. If they have one
they will send it along. Some courthouses do not send you the return unless
asked for and the return has the parents and other pertinent information
on it.
Only county clerks may issue certified copies of marriage records.
Search and copy fees will vary from one county to another.
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Illinois
County Clerk's Addresses and Phone Numbers |
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This Page
Updated:
Tuesday, 04-Nov-2008 10:15:26 EST
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