Private Investigator Training

An ongoing project by The Illinois State Archives in collaboration with the Illinois State Genealogical Society compiles all Illinois marriages records that occurred prior to 1901. It currently has in excess of a million pre-1901 data on file, dating as far back as 1763. This information is open for viewing and any member of the public can access or even contribute to them.

This public service is meant to be easily available to users in general and that has been greatly boosted with the advent of the Internet. People can now obtain free marriage records information online without having to leave home or office, saving a great deal of time and costs in travelling and waiting in line. They only have to get onto a computer and log on to the Internet.

Predominantly, the contents of these records are obtained directly from the Country Clerk’s original listings. Such contents include the license, certificate and marriage register. In addition, private organizations and county Genealogical societies also contribute publications in this regard. All in all, the index spoken of earlier is overseen by the Illinois State Archives.

Typically, the information consists of the personal particulars of the marrying couple, their parents’, names of witnesses and officiant of the marriage and the date and place of the occasion. Although a ceremony or wedding is not mandatory, it must be in the county for which the marriage license is granted if one is conducted but neither of the couple need to be a local resident of the county. Therefore, if a search fails in the known county of residence, it’s worth a shot to extend it to a statewide one instead.

The Illinois State-wide Marriage Index has a listing of all public marriages within Illinois. The Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) keeps the entire original as well as microfilm copies of such documents. Even uncertified copies of marriages are kept by the IRAD from 70 counties of the 102 in Illinois; which are not requested by the County Clerks. In addition, these offices are the only authoritative sources of the certified copies of marriage records.

Commercial providers online are a good source for marriage records. They are highly professional with their record databases available to the wider public. They also tap into private and proprietary networks along with those from the Illinois State Archives, Genealogical societies and universities. It’s an easy and simplistic ways providing a nationwide service which is beneficial to those with time restrictions.

Do-it-yourself Illinois Marriage Records search are tricky. Come and share our information on Marriage License Records and see why.