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Marriage Records             

Click here to go to Baptism Records | Marriage Investigations | Burial Records​

The process of marrying in Catholic societies potentially generated several different records:

• Pre-marriage investigation
• Parish marriage register entry (liber/matricul​a​​​​​ matrimonialis, registrum matrimoniorum​​)
• Marriage dispensation (matrimonialis dispensationis​)
• Church and civil court records relating to marital relations
• Dowry inventories and pre-nuptial/post-nuptial contracts

The first two record types on the above list relate to the marriage performed by the parish priest. The third one refers to the application by a future bride and groom to the bishop, and the subsequent investigation to waive an impediment to the proposed marriage. The fourth category refers generally to broken promises to marry—lawsuits and prosecutions relating to marital conflicts and annulments found in the diocesan and civil courts. The last items are contracts defining property contributions to and ultimate property distributions from the marriage, often not only involving the bride and groom, but their respective parents as well.

Marriage Entries

The information given in marriage records for most Catholic communities varies dramatically, according to the place, time period, and individual priest making the records. Some or all of the following information can be included. The Latin phrases are taken from the marriage entry below which came from the parish records of Seva, Catalonia, Spain:

Marginal note: Names of Groom and Bride and/or Other Information

131 Monmany ab Riquer; b[eat]e Civitate Vici oriundi die vero E vero commorantis Sui obit[ib]us seva degenis​​

Date of the Marriage

Die Dom[inic]^a quarta mensis Septembris anno D[ei] mil[esi]^mus  Septing[entesi]^mus  descimo octavo

Place of the Marriage

in Ecc[lesi]a p[ariochia]^le B[eat]^ae M[ari]^ae de Seva vic[en]^s di[ocesi]s^s

Identification of the Officiating Priest

Rever[aendi]s Petri [s] Prat  p[res]biter^e Monchiae Vicaris ejusdem Ecc[lesi]ae

Actual Marriage Ceremony Phrase

fuerunt in Matrimon[i] conjucti

Identification of the Groom: given name, surname, age, profession; given names, surnames, residence and/or birthplaces of the parents of the groom

Generius Monmany Juvenis Cultor commor[ante]s in manso Gajala par[och]iae S[ant]I Geneti d^e Tarradell ejusdeⁿ dio[cesi]s

Filius Legi[timatus] nat[uralei]s Jacobi Monmarisny q[uonde]^m ag[rico]lae dictae pa[rochi]^ae d[e] Seva et Mariaie anneiae ejus uxoris defunctii /ex una

Identification of the Bride: given name, surname, age, profession; given names, surnames, residence and/or birthplaces of the parents of the bride

et Magdalena domicella filia legitima nat[urali]s Bonaventure Riquer q[uonde]^m Sartoris de d[e] Seva et Mariae ejus[dem] uxoris vivenis /ex altera.

Note Regarding the Reading of the Banns

tribis continuis diebus ^festivis testimonis praemsis denunctiationibus ab forma[tion]^eS[antii] C[oncilii] T[ridentini]

Note as to Impediments Dispensed with, if any

per q[uod] a Rivera V[oster].E[xcelence] Expetditas Abadal  dic[tis] die et anno

Names and Identification of Witnesses

Presentis Joanne Aguilar lanae paratore de Seva et Petro Hijalt juvene cultore    ^ambo de par[ochi]l^ae d[e] Seva

Marital Blessing

Postea die inmediate sequenti vesperes benedic[tus]. Nuptial[e]. In d[ict]^a Ecc[lesi]^a

Dowry Inventory or Pre-Nuptial Contract (not generally found)

capi[t]is matrim[onal]is  penes dicti Petru[s] Prat in Seviarria [de] Seva

Signature of the Parish Priest

The information included in these records usually follows a specific order; however, it is not uncommon to find the same information in different order. See examples below.

Marriage Record Sample: Paragraph-Form

Phrases

1. Marginal note​
2. Date of the marriage
3. Place of the marriage
4. Identification of the Priest
5. Actual marriage ceremony phrase
6. Identification of the groom
7. Identification of the bride
8. Note regarding the reading of the banns
9. Note as to impediments dispensed with, if any
10. Names and identification of witnesses
11. ​Marital blessing
12. Dowry inventory or pre-nuptial contract
13. Name or signature of the officiating priest

Transcription

Translation

Marriage Record Sample: Pre-Printed Form

Transcription

Translation

Marriage Record Sample: Tabular Form

Transcription

Translation