Marriage License Request

The Howard County Historical Society collection contains over 38,000 ministers’ returns of marriage licenses, unused returned marriage license applications, and courthouse ledgers of marriages performed in Howard County, Maryland, between 1860 and 1939. There was no waiting period in Howard County and over 90 percent of the marriages were of out-of-county couples.

In addition to what is displayed on the index, a license sometimes contains state/country of birth, race, previous marriage status, occupations, name and title of minister, town of marriage, and consenting parents if the groom was under age 21 or the bride was under age 18.

To receive the full information contained on the document, please contact the Howard County Historical Society.