The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
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One of the main goals for genealogists is finding marriage information about their ancestors.
Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians, and archivists, a great number of indexes to marriage collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific marriage license, bond, and certificate information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual marriage documents themselves. These free online collections have hundreds of millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include marriage information that is not included in the lists below. These different types can be found in 27 Ways to Find Ancestor Marriage Information.
The lists below are specific marriage indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state of California.
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.
Note: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription, you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
California Marriage Records
- Alameda County, Births 1873-1901, Deaths 1859-1903, Mortuary Record 1873-1891, Land Patents 1857-1892, Delayed Birth Index 1875-1971, Marriages 1853-1866
- Alpine County, Birth/Cemetery/Death/Marriage Records, 1864-1983
- Alpine County, Marriages
- Alpine County, Affidavit for Marriage License, Stub Book, 1909-1927
- Alpine County, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969
- Alpine County, Marriage Records, 1864-1920; Index, 1864-1980
- Amador County, Marriage Records, 1854-1925
- Antioch Ledger Newspaper Vital Records, 2 Apr 1870-17, Mar 1877
- Butte County Marriage Index, 1949-1959
- Butte County Vital Records 1854-1897
- Butte County, Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1883-1899
- Butte County, Coroners Inquests, 1851-1963
- Butte County, Marriage Index, ca. 1853-1950
- Butte County, Marriage Indexes
- Butte County, Marriages
- Butte County, Marriage Licenses and Certificates, 1851-1908; Index to Marriages, 1851-1920
- Butte County, Marriage Records, 1858-1900; Indexes, 1852-1932
- Calaveras County, Newspaper File Index, 1860-1950
- Calaveras County, Marriage Records, 1854-1905
- California Marriage Index, 1960-1985
- California Marriages, 1850-1945
- California State Library, Vital Statistics Index ca. 1800s-1920
- California, County Marriages, 1850-1952
- California, County Marriages, 1850-1952
- California, Indexes for Brides and Grooms, 1949-1959
- California/Nevada, Marriage Records/Notices, ca. 1847-1910
- Colusa County, Marriage Records, 1853-1922; Index, 1853-1929
- Contra Costa County, Index to Marriages (men), 1851-1941 (surnames A-M)
- Del Norte County, Marriages, before 1900
- Del Norte County, Marriage Records, 1857-1905
- El Dorado County Marriage Indexes
- El Dorado County, Births, 1902-1982, Marriages, 1859-1932, Deaths, 1909-1928; and Indexes, 1904-1987
- El Dorado County, Marriages
- El Dorado County, Marriage Records, 1851-1905
- Fresno County Marriage Records (, California), 1856-1920; Indexes, 1856-1919
- Fresno County, Marriage License Index, 1899-1968
- Glenn County, Marriage License Affidavits, 1891-1920
- Glenn County, Marriage Records, 1891-1905
- Glenn County, Marriage Records, 1891-1928; Index, 1891-1983
- Humboldt County Church Marriage Indexes
- Humboldt County, Marriage Records, 1864-1905
- Imperial County, Marriage Licenses, 1907-1919; Indexes, 1903-1923
- Inyo County, Marriage Records, 1873-1919
- Kern County Marriage Records
- Kern County, Abstract of Wills, August 8, 1876 to 1899, Marriages, 1850-1900
- Kern County, Births, Deaths & Marriages [Newspaper Clippings]
- Lake County Newspaper Marriage Index
- Lake County, Marriage Licenses, 1894-1913
- Lake County, Marriage Records, 1867-1950
- Lake County, Marriage Records, 1913-1935
- Lake County, Newspapers, Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1863-1949
- Lassen County, Birth Records, 1864-1928 & Cemetery Census; Death Records, 1874-1912 & Marriage Records, 1864-1929
- Lassen County, Marriage Records, 1898-1904, 1912-1917
- Lompoc Vital Records 1915-1919
- Los Angeles County Index to Marriages 1951-1957 and Marriage Records 1951-1958
- Los Angeles County Marriage Records, 1871-1950; Indexes, 1856-1950
- Los Angeles County, Marriages 1876-1890
- Los Angeles County, Marriages, 1876-1888
- Los Angeles County, Marriage Application Records, 1850-1905
- Los Angeles County, Marriage Certificates, 1851-1924; Index, 1851-1920
- Los Angeles Daily Times Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1881-1886
- Madera County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Madera County, Vital Records, 1883-1905
- Marin County Marriages
- Marin County, Marriage Licenses, 1873-1919
- Marin County, Marriage Licenses, 1881-1902; Marriage License Index, 1873-1934
- Marin County, Marriage Records, 1857-1905
- Mariposa County, Marriage Records, 1851-1919; Index, 1851-1980
- Mendocino County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Mendocino County Index Marriages 1861-1924
- Mendocino County Marriage Records, 1859-1924
- Mendocino County, Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1859-1907
- Mendocino County, Miscellaneous Marriage Records, 1890-1905, Birth Certificates and Establishing of Births, 1906-1917
- Merced County Early Marriages, 1855-1905
- Merced County Vital Records Indexes
- Merced County, Marriage Books A,B,C,1,2, 1855-1915
- Merced County, Marriage Licenses, Register of Marriages, and Index of Marriage Certificates
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Mono County, Marriage Records, 1862-1919
- Monterey County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Napa County, Marriages, 1850-1880
- Napa County, Index to Marriage Licenses, ca. 1893-1939
- Nevada County Marriages
- Nevada County, Marriage Records, 1895-1950; Indexes, 1856-1958
- Nevada County, Marriage Records, 1856-1905
- Northern California, Marriage Index, Marriages from 22 Northern California Counties, 1850-1860
- Oakland Births, Marriages, Deaths and Obituary Clippings 1985-2011
- Oakland Family History Center Newspaper Record Collection, 1980-2011
- Orange County, Marriage Records, 1889-1920; Index, 1889-1959
- Orange County, Marriage Records; Indexes, 1829-1953, 1889-1951
- Placer County, Marriages
- Placer County, Marriage Records, 1851-1905
- Placer County, Marriage Records, 1867-1919, Marriage License Indexes, 1852-1938
- Placer, Shasta and Yuba Counties Early California Wills and Vital Statistics 1849-1900
- Placerville, Mountain Democrat, Birth, Marriage, and Death Notices [Index], 13 June 1857 — 20 September 1862
- Plumas County, Marriage Records, 1854-1905
- Riverside County, Marriage Records, 1898-1901; Index, 1893-1920
- Sacramento County, Marriages
- Sacramento County, Index to Marriages, 1850-1905
- Sacramento County, Marriage Certificates, 1850-1905; Index to Marriages, 1850-1944
- Sacramento Union, Annual Compilation of Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1859-1886
- Sacramento, Bee/Union Newspaper Index, 1906-1937
- Saddleback Valley News Vital Record Indexes 1969-1989
- San Andreas, Groom and Bride Index 1854-1905; Marriage, Death and Birth Indexes 1856-1994
- San Benito County, Marriage Certificates, 1877-1897
- San Benito County, Marriage Records, 1874-1931
- San Benito County, Marriage Records, 1874-1944; Index to Certificates, 1970-1965
- San Benito County, Miscellaneous Coroner’s Inquest, Marriage, Death, Citizenship, Declarations of Intention, etc., Certificates, Records, ca. 1870-1900
- San Bernardino County, Marriage Records, 1855-1905; Index, 1854-1909
- San Diego County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- San Diego County, Earliest Marriage Papers, 1850-1866
- San Francisco Call Index
- San Francisco Congregational Church, Marriage Indexes
- San Francisco County Marriage Records, 1904-1975
- San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997
- San Francisco County, Affidavits for Marriage Licenses, 1913-1915, and Index
- San Francisco County, Re-Recorded Marriages, 1860-1975; Index to Marriage Certificates, 1904-1906
- San Francisco Marriage Indexes
- San Francisco Vital Indexes and Records
- San Francisco Vital Records from the Daily Alta California Newspaper 1854
- San Francisco Vital Records from the Daily Evening Bulletin Newspaper 1856, 1857
- San Joaquin County, Certificates of Marriages, 1905-1915; Indexes, 1850-1949
- San Joaquin County, Index to Marriage Records, 1850-1900
- San Joaquin County, Marriage License Applications and Certificates of Marriage, 1850-1966
- San Luis Obispo County Birth. Marriage, and Death Indexes
- San Luis Obispo County Marriage Records 1850-1913
- San Luis Obispo County, Index to Marriages, Men’s Book A, 1850-1885, Male and Female Index, Men’s Book B, 1885-1902, Male and Female Index
- San Mateo County Birth, Death, and Marriages Indexes, 1853-1948
- San Mateo County Records, 1851-1991
- San Mateo County, Marriage Records, 1927-1943
- San Mateo Times Gazette Vital Records Index, 1859-1899
- Santa Barbara County Marriages
- Santa Barbara County, Marriage Records of Thomas Poole Justice of the Peace 1928 to 1935
- Santa Barbara County, Marriage Records, 1850-1918
- Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Presidio Register, non-Indians Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1782-1852
- Santa Clara County Early Vitals Indexes
- Santa Clara County Marriage Licenses Card Index, ca. 1846-1946
- Santa Clara County, Marriage Licenses and Certificates, 1849-1919
- Santa Clara County, Marriage Records, 1850-1905
- Santa Clara County, Record of Marriages, 1904-1917, and Index 1904-1918
- Santa Cruz County, Marriages from Early Newspapers
- Santa Cruz County, Strays, Marriages & Deaths Reported in Newspapers, 1919 Through 1924
- Santa Cruz County, Marriage Records, 1851-1905; Index, 1850-1979
- Shasta County, Early Marriages, 1852-1904
- Shasta County, Marriages
- Shasta County, Marriage Records, 1852-1905
- Sierra County, Marriage Records, 1853-1905
- Siskiyou County, Marriages, 1852 thru 1910
- Solano County, Marriages
- Solano County, Marriage Records, 1850-1883
- Solano County, Marriage Records, 1897-1950
- Solano County, Solano County Marriages/Divorces, ca. 1853-1923
- Sonoma County, Marriage Records, 1843-1889
- Sonoma County, Marriages
- Sonoma County, Marriage Records, 1846-1920; Index, 1846-1934
- Stanislaus County Courthouse Records, Marriages, 1854-1906 and Wills, 1872-1908
- Stanislaus County, Marriage Certificates, 1854-1920, with Index, 1854-1921; Registers of Births and Deaths, 1873-1905
- Stockton Vital Records from Newspapers, 1850-1852
- Sutter County, Marriage Records, 1850-1905
- Sutter County, Marriage Records, 1905-1935; Indexes 1889-1969
- Tehama County, Marriage Records, 1843-1889
- Tehama County, Marriages, 1854-1910
- Tehama County, Marriage Records, 1856-1922
- Trinity County Marriage Indexes
- Trinity County, Marriage Records, 1857-1905
- Tulare County Marriages
- Tulare County Vital Records Indexes
- Tuolumne County, Vital Records, 1850-1906
- United States Marriages, 1733-1990
- United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
- Ventura County Marriage Indexes
- Western States Historical Marriage Records Index
- Yolo County, Marriages
- Yuba County, Marriage Licenses, 1897-1943
- Yuba County, Marriage Records, 1873-1931
- Yuba County, Marriages, 1851-1905
- Yuba County, Register of Marriage Certificates, 1851-1893
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!