
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 Iowa.
Note: Some of the 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, please 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.
(Updated April 2023)
Iowa Marriage Records
- Adair County, Marriages, 1854-1900
- Adair County, Marriage Records, 1854-1915
- Adair County, Marriage Records, 1854-1933; Index, 1877-1917
- Allamakee County, Marriage Indexes
- Appanoose County, Marriage Indexes
- Appanoose County, Marriages
- Benton County Marriage Records, 1851-1936; Index, 1852-1950
- Black Hawk County Vital Records Indexes
- Black Hawk County, Marriage Indexes
- Boone County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Boone County, Marriage Indexes
- Bremer County Vital Records Indexes
- Buchanan County, Marriage Register, 1859-1865
- Buena Vista County, Marriage Indexes
- Calhoun County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Calhoun County, Calhoun County, Marriage Registers, v. 1-2, 1857-1900
- Calhoun County, Early Marriages, 1856-1884
- Calhoun County, Marriages
- Calhoun County, Marriage Records, 1885-1928
- Carroll County Marriage Applications and Licenses, 1855-1868
- Cass County, Marriage Indexes
- Cass County, Marriages
- Cedar County, Marriage Indexes
- Cedar County, Marriages
- Cedar County, Marriage Records, 1841-1935; Indexes, 1840-1955
- Cerro Gordo County, Marriage Indexes
- Cerro Gordo County, Marriages, 1855-1880
- Cherokee County Marriages
- Cherokee County Marriages: Early Marriages 1866-1880
- Cherokee County, Early Marriages, 1856-1880
- Chickasaw County Early Marriages, 1853-1880
- Clayton County Marriage Indexes
- Clayton County, Marriage Indexes
- Clayton County, Marriages
- Clilnton County, Marriage Records, November 1840 – January 1855
- Clinton County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Clinton County, Marriage Indexes
- Clinton County, Marriages
- Crawford County Marriages
- Dallas County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Dallas County, Marriage Indexes
- Davis County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Davis County, Marriage Indexes
- Davis County, Marriages
- Davis County, Minute Book, 1855-1868
- Decatur County Vital Records
- Delaware County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Delaware County, Marriage Records, 1851-1861
- Des Moines County, Burlington Index
- Des Moines County, Marriage Indexes
- Des Moines County, Marriages
- Des Moines County, Territory of Michigan Early Marriages, 1835-1853
- Des Moines County, Index to Marriage Records, 1921-1977; Marriage Records, 1835-1930
- Des Moines County, Marriage Index, 1921-1977
- Des Moines County, Miscellaneous Records, 1866-1876
- Dickinson County, Early Marriages
- Dubuque County Birth, Baptism, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Dubuque County, Marriages
- Dubuque, Marriage License Records, 1840-1861, Marriage Records, 1835-1845
- Elkader, Obituary, Marriage, Birth Cards Index to County Newspapers, 1850-1890
- Emmet County, Marriages
- Fayette County, Marriage Records, 1851-1928; Index to Marriages, Births and Deaths, 1880 -1900
- Fayette County, Register of Births, 1880-1927; Index to Marriages, Births and Deaths, 1880-1900
- Floyd County, Marriages
- Floyd County, Marriages, January 1880-December 1900
- Fort Madison, Lee County, Marriage Records,1856-1861
- Franklin County, Marriages, October 1855 – September 1880
- Franklin County, Marriage Records, 1855-1925
- Fremont County, Marriage Indexes
- Greene County, Marriage Indexes
- Grundy County, Marriage Registers, 1856-1913
- Guthrie County, Early Marriages, 30 March 1852-31 December 1899
- Guthrie County, Marriages
- Hamilton County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Hamilton County, Marriages
- Hamilton County, Newspaper Clippings, 1849-1937
- Hancock County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Hancock County Vitals
- Hardin County, Marriage Indexes
- Hendrick and Community, List of Marriages, 1893-1911
- Henry County, Marriage Indexes
- Henry County, Marriages
- Historical Society – Vital Records Indexes
- Ida County, Marriages
- Iowa City News Index
- Iowa County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Iowa County, Marriages
- Iowa Marriage and Cemetery Records, 1945
- Iowa Marriage Records, 1938-1941
- Iowa Marriages, 1809-1992
- Iowa Marriages, ca. 1844-1900
- Iowa, Church and Civil Marriages, 1837-1989
- Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934
- Iowa, Marriage Records, 1941-1951
- Jackson County Vital Records
- Jackson County, Marriages
- Jasper County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Jasper County, Marriage Records, 1880-1889
- Jefferson County Marriages
- Jefferson County, Marriage Indexes
- Jefferson County, Marriages
- Jefferson County, Marriages
- Johnson County Marriage Indexes
- Johnson County Register of Marriages to 1880
- Johnson County, Marriages
- Johnson County, Marriages, 1839-1851
- Johnson County, Marriage Records, 1839-1910; Index, 1890-1938
- Jones County Vital Records
- Jones County, Marriages
- Jones County, Abstracted names from the Wyoming journal, Cemetery Internment and Marriage Licenses
- Keokuk County, Marriages
- Keokuk County, Marriages, 1844-1860
- Keokuk County, Newspaper Extracts, Birth, Death, Marriage, etc.
- Keokuk, Lee County, Marriage Records, January 1900-June 1919
- Kishkekosh County (later renamed Monroe County, Early Marriages
- Lee County Vital Records
- Lee County, Early Marriages, 1848-1851
- Lee County, Marriage and Grave Records
- Lee County, Marriages
- Leon, Decatur County, Marriages & Births 1969-70
- Linn County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Linn County, Early Marriage Records
- Linn County, Marriage Indexes
- Linn County, Marriage Register, volume II, 1855-1869
- Linn County, Marriages
- Louisa County, Marriage Indexes
- Louisa County, Marriages
- Lucas County, Early Marriages, 1849 to 1899
- Lucas County, Marriage Records, 1849-1918
- Lyon County, Marriage Indexes
- Madison County Marriage Index
- Madison County, Marriage Indexes
- Madison County, Marriage Records
- Mahaska County, Marriages
- Mahaska County, Marriages in June 1, 1851
- Marion County, Marriage Indexes
- Marion County, Marriage Records, 1916 through 1920
- Marion County, Marriages
- Marion County, Marriage Records, 1845-1915
- Marshall County, Marriages
- Marshall County, Marriages, Book A (1850-1864), Book B (1865-1867)
- Mills County, Marriage Records, 1880-1885
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Mitchell County, Marriage Indexes
- Monona County, Early Marriages 1856-1880
- Monona County, Marriages
- Monroe County Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages from Newspaper Clippings, 1898-2015
- Monroe County, Card Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages from Newspaper Clippings, 1898-2015
- Monroe County, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages from Newspaper Clippings, 1898-2015
- Monroe County, Marriages
- Mount Pleasant Newspaper Clippings, 1836-1966
- Muscatine – Musser Public Library Birth, Marriage and Death Index
- Muscatine County Marriages
- Muscatine County, Marriage Indexes
- Muscatine County, Marriages
- O’Brien County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Osceola County , Early Marriages, 8 August 1872 – 1 February 1900
- Osceola County, Early Marriages, 1872-1900
- Osceola County, Marriage Indexes
- Page County, Marriage Indexes
- Plymouth County, Early Marriages, 1860-1880
- Plymouth County, Marriages
- Pocahontas County, Cemetery and Marriage Records, ca. 1823-1980
- Pocahontas County, Marriage Indexes
- Polk County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Polk County Marriage Certificates, 1846-1849
- Polk County, Early Marriages
- Polk County, Marriage Applications, 1886-1889
- Polk County, Marriage Records, 1845-1926
- Polk County, Marriage Records, 25 Aug. 1855 – 14 Apr. 1861, 6 Apr. 1871 – 16 Feb. 1881
- Polk County, Marriages
- Potawatomi Agency, Vital Statistics : Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1901-1933
- Pottawatamie County Births, Marriages, and Deaths Indexes
- Pottawattamie County, Marriage Indexes
- Pottawattamie County, Marriages
- Poweshiek County, Marriage Records, 1931-1938
- Poweshiek County, Marriages
- Prairie City, Marriages from the files of the Prairie City News, 1880-1900
- Scott County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Scott County Local Index
- Scott County, Marriages
- Shelby County, Coroner’s Records, 1929-1944
- Shelby County, Marriages 1853-1880
- Sioux County Marriage Indexes
- Spirit Lake, Birth, Marriage and Obituary notices
- Story County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Story County Marriages
- Story County, Marriage Records, 1854 – July 1907
- Tama County, Marriage Indexes
- Tama County, Marriage Records, 1931-1937
- Tama County, Marriages
- Tama County, Marriages 1853-1860
- Taylor County, Marriages
- Union County Marriage Records
- Union County, Marriage Index, 1855-1870
- United States Marriages, 1733-1990
- United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
- Van Buren County, Marriage Records
- Van Buren County, Marriages
- Vital Records of Counties in Iowa
- Wapello and Jefferson Counties, Marriage Licenses and Returns, 1866-1900
- Wapello County, Marriage Records, 1846-1869
- Wapello County, Marriages
- Wapello County, Ottumwa, Marriage Records, 1898-1906
- Wapello, Louisa County, Early Marriage Records
- Warren County Marriage Indexes
- Washington County, Marriage Indexes
- Washington County, Marriages
- Washington County, Births, Marriages, and Deaths Extracted from Washington County Newspapers, 1800s-2000
- Webster County, Marriages
- Winneshiek County, Marriage Indexes
- Winneshiek County, Marriages
- Woodbury County Marriages
- Woodbury County, Early Marriages, 1854-1880
- Worth County, Marriage Indexes
- Worth County, Marriages
- Wright County, Marriage Indexes
For all Free Iowa Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records