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Church records

Marriage registers

Until 1753 the register will normally shows the date of marriage and the names of both parties.

Between 1754 and 1 July 1837 the register shows:

  • Date and place of marriage
  • Names of the bride and groom and their marital status
  • Whether or not they are of the parish (this quite often appears as OTP)
  • Whether the marriage is by banns, licence or with consent of parents (if either party is a minor)
  • The signature/mark of the bride and groom and witnesses (usually two).

During this period, marriages other than for Jews and Quakers had to take place in a parish church performed by an Anglican vicar.

From 1837 marriages could also take place at register offices and non-conformist churches, although at the latter a registrar of marriages had to conduct the civil part of the ceremony until the late 1890s (at least 1898).

To obtain a certificate of a Register Office marriage you will need to contact the local Register Office. You can order certificates for marriages which took place in Birmingham on our Register Office webpages

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