Process for Obtaining Kentucky Marriage Records

If you are staying in the State of Kentucky and need to find someone or details about a person in the state, then you can do so quite easily. In fact, you need not even be a resident of the state.

A lot of people in the U.S. seem not to know that they have a legal right to marriage records. You may need to establish that you are a U.S. citizen, which may be a legitimate requirement depending on specific circumstances. In some states there may also be a time ban before records are opened up to the general public.

In general, the counties and the states are legally bound to maintain and update the records and give you a copy when you request it. This holds true for Kentucky marriage records as well.

Why Should You be Interested in Kentucky Marriage Records?

Are you someone who is considering marriage? You may need to consider the background of your would-be partner. How long have you known him or her?

When you are planning your future, you have to be sure about it. After all, there have been many cases when a person about to get married begins to doubt the partner at the last minute. So it is always better to check, just to be sure.

How do you check your potential spouse? How do you find out whether the person is already married or not? In Kentucky and other states across the country, you can check the marriage records for this purpose.

In most cases, those who ask for Kentucky marriage records are carrying out genealogy research. Perhaps you want to find out more about your great-grandfather whom you know settled in the state and married there. Or, perhaps you are trying to locate your long-lost uncle or aunt. Marriage records can help you in this quest as well.

Finding Records through Normal Channels

The State of Kentucky first made provisions for statewide vital records registration as far back as 1852. The legislation did not survive in place beyond a decade, as implementation was near absent. Resumption was attempted a few times between 1872 and 1910.

Registration was finally made mandatory as of January 1, 1911 for births and deaths. Counties have maintained records since their inception, and state registration has been required since 1958.

You can find all the information you need on marriage records after 1958 at the Department for Health Services, Office of Vital Statistics, 375 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. For other records, such as births and deaths after 1911, you can access the index by every name at the Office of Vital Statistics, and the records themselves through the Public Records Division.

So go ahead and apply to receive a copy of the marriage record. With the information received you can identify the marrying couple, their parents (the fathers name and the mother’s maiden name), residence at the time of wedding, witnesses, and even the name of the person who conducted the wedding.

Follow This Advice for Easier Searching:

•    You can apply to receive a copy of the marriage record in the state. Make your application letter to the point and concise.
•    Never make more than just 1 or 2 requests at a time.
•    It is always better to type the addresses and names in the letter.
•    Provide as much information as possible such as all the names that could have been used, spelling alternatives, nicknames etc.
•    Make a list of dates and types of events accurately (as much as possible). If it is difficult to specify the date, include the span of years that you want searched. Try to narrow it down to the maximum possible.
•    Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with the application.