(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
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Divorce records from all over the U.S. are sometimes difficult to find online. They are another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
What can you find in these records? Obviously the dates and location of the divorce proceeding, the date and location of the marriage, the woman’s maiden name, names of minor children, and the reason for the divorce. The reason can not only provide another part of your ancestor’s story but also may lead to more clues, especially in the case of desertion, where you may be able to find the location where the “deserting” party moved to.
WARNING: Some of the information in the Divorce Petitions may be difficult to read. There may be shocking claims, especially related to your ancestors’ physical and emotional cruelty, or other behavior. Be prepared.
In most cases, I did not include the links to County Courts, where most divorce records are now processed and the documents held. However, these divorce documents for most states are partially held in either state archives or county clerk records. So you may wish to avail yourself of the county clerk and court archives, especially those that can be searched online.
Note: Please be aware that if you find the desired divorce record in an index, the holder of the actual materials (e.g., archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Below are links to the state’s divorce record and index collections that are available for free online.
Indiana Divorce Records
- Allen County Divorces (1820s-1920s)
- Allen County, Civil and Criminal Case Files, 1820-1940
- Boone County Divorces 1830-1879
- Boone County Divorces, 1830-1879
- DeKalb County Divorce Index 1856-1902
- DeKalb County Divorce Records Index 1904-1909
- DeKalb County Divorce Records Index 1908-1909
- DeKalb County Divorce Records Index 1909-1910
- Evansville Courier and Press Divorces Database 2007-
- Floyd County, Miscellaneous Divorces
- Fountain County, Miscellaneous Divorces
- Hamilton County, Miscellaneous Divorces, 1870s
- Harrison County, Newspaper Clippings Collection: Obituaries, Divorce Announcements, 1845-2005
- Hendricks County Divorce Cases 1824-1989
- Hendricks County Divorce Cases 1912-1992
- Hendricks County Divorce Records and Indexes
- Hendricks County, Divorces (1891-1960)
- Hendricks County, Divorces, 1953-1975
- Howard County Indiana Divorce Newspaper Announcements Index
- Indiana Divorce Index 1819-1870
- Indiana State Library VINE – Divorce Records Index
- Kosciusko County Divorce Indexes 1908-1933
- Lebanon Patriot & Weekly Patriot, Index of Divorces, 1870
- Logansport Abstracts from the Logansport Weekly Journal, 1849-1870
- Montgomery County Divorce Indexes
- Porter County, Divorce Records Index 1914-1963
- Porter County, Divorces, 1855-1899
- Putnam County, Miscellaneous Divorces
- Saint Joseph County Divorce Records Index 1832-1997
- Switzerland County, Divorce Records, 1823-1950
- Vanderburgh County, Miscellaneous Divorces
- Vigo County, Divorces & Misc Court Records, 1819-1937
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!