Do you require a copy of an original Marriage certificate?
We supplly full certified copies for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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The Marriage Certificate we supply will normally include full names of both parties, occupation, usual residence, age and name of father for both parties and registration district.
England & Wales
On 1 July 1837 civil registration was introduced in England and Wales, providing a central record of all births, deaths and marriages. A Registrar General was appointed with an overall responsibility and the country was divided into registration districts. Each registration district controlled by a Superintendent Registrar. Under this system, all marriage ceremonies have been certified by the issuing of a marriage certificate. From that date, marriage ceremonies could be performed, and certificates issued either by a clergyman of the Church of England, in a parish church, or by a Civil Registrar in a Civil Register Office. Marriages performed according to the ceremonies of Quakers and Jews also continued to be recognised as legal marriages, and certificates were issued. From 1898 Roman Catholic priests and non-conformist ministers could also perform legal marriages and issue certificates.
The marriage certificate itself is given to the couple who have married. Copies are made in two registers:
- one is retained by the church or register office;
- the other, when the entire register is full, is sent to the superintendent registrar of the registration district.
Every quarter, the minister or civil registrar prepares a further copy of all the marriage entries and sends them to the Registrar General.
Certified copy of an entry of Marriage Given at the General Register Office lists the following information:
Marriage Solemnized at (Register Office or Religious building such as a church or a private building) in the (Registration District) of (Registration County)
Column 1 - When married
Column 2 - Name and Surname of bride and groom.
Column 3 - Age
Column 4 - Condition (e.g. Bachelor/Spinster or Widow/Widower)
Column 5 - Rank or profession
Column 6 - Residence at the time of marriage
Column 7 - Father's Name and Surname
Column 8 - Rank or profession of Father
Married in the (e.g. Parish Church, or Baptist Church, The Catholic Church) according to the Rites and Ceremonies of (The Established Church, the Baptists, the Roman Catholics, respectively).
This marriage was solemnized between us (Bride and Grooms signature. If either party were illiterate, it would be recorded as 'The mark of _________'
In the presence of us (the two witnesses and possibly the Registrar or the cleric who is completing the registration)
Certified to be a true copy of an entry in the certified copy of a register of Marriages in the Registration District of (Registration District) Given at the GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE, under the Seal of the said Office, the (Number) Day of (Month) (Year)
This certificate is issued in pursuance of section 65 of the Marriage Act 1949. Sub-section 3 of that section provides that any certified copy of an entry purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal of the General Register Office shall be received as evidence of the marriage to which it relates, without any further or other proof of the entry, and no certified copy purporting to have been given in the said Office shall be of any force or effect unless it is sealed or stamped as aforesaid.
The certificate also records the previous marital status of the bride and groom. Those not previously married are “bachelor” or “spinster.” From 1858 to 1952 a previously divorced groom was listed as “the divorced husband of…” with his ex-wife’s maiden name listed, and vice versa for a divorced bride. The currently used wording is “previous marriage dissolved” with no further details given.
(There may be some variance with English and Welsh Marriage Certificates. Marriage Certificates issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland will also vary.)
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