Index to New Brunswick Marriages

Introduction

This index includes marriages from 1847-1966. The index was compiled from the records of Vital Statistics in RS141 located at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

The Vital Statistics Act of 1887 required that all marriages be registered with the registrar and/or deputy-registrars of Vital Statistics and filed for
consultation. Although this process began in 1888, a few marriages dating as far back as 1882 were included. Previously, between 1812 and 1887, marriages were registered within each county.

Interpreting the Index:
The index includes the names of all bridegrooms and the maiden names of all brides. In the cases where the woman was divorced or widowed, all former names have also been included in the index. These latter cases are indicated by the asterisk (*) after the bride's name. The use of the asterisk indicates that it is not always clear whether the woman's former name was her previous married name or her maiden name. It is important for researchers to note that the index is a tool used to reference the actual marriage certificate, which can be viewed on microfilm. The marriage certificates have more information than the index we have prepared.

Where applicable, the specific county to which the records have reference has been included. The abbreviations used for New Brunswick's fifteen counties are as follows:

Information Contained on the Certificate:
The index includes all names, the date of marriage, parish/place and county of marriage, and all references necessary for the researcher to look up the item on microfilm. This information has been extracted from the Marriage Certificate which also contains:

County of Registration

• Bridegroom's name, age, residence, place of birth, marital status, occupation, religion, and name of parents
• Bride's name, age, residence, place of birth, marital status, religion, and name of parents
• Name and residence of witnesses
• Date of Marriage
• By Whom Married
• Whether Married by License or Banns
• Signature and Postal Address of Clergy

As well, the Marriage Certificates are signed by the Bride and Bridegroom, which often helps greatly with deciphering the proper spelling of their names.

County Marriage Registers:
Marriages between 1812 and 1887 were registered within each county. The extant 'county marriage registers' can be consulted on microfilm at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick or borrowed via inter-library loan.

Viewing the Complete Record:
The completed marriage certificates are available only on microfilm. The microfilm number is included in the index, along with the reference codes. The films can be viewed at the Provincial Archives in Fredericton, or at a library participating in the inter-library or inter-archives microfilm loan program.

Finding Aid:
Detail on all vital statistics available, indexed, etc., along with microfilm numbers, can be found in the RS141 New Brunswick Vital Statistics finding aid on our web site.

Official Marriage Certificates:
The information provided in the database is for reference only. Official marriage certificates necessary for legal and other important purposes cannot be issued by the Archives: they are issued by Service New Brunswick, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, E3B 5H1.

Corrections:
Great effort has been made to present an error-free index, but we do appreciate feedback. Only, remember that the Archives cannot change the data on the documents.

Note: The Archives wishes to acknowledge the efforts of Dorothy Wiggs who volunteered many hours and days to help complete this index.