Marriage Records for Pike County

Pike County marriage records are kept at the courthouse in Milford. The county was formed on March 26, 1814, from Wayne County and named for Zebulon Pike. Located at the northeastern tip of Pennsylvania, Pike County has maintained civil marriage license records since 1885. You can search these records in person or request copies by mail. The Pike County Genealogical Society also provides an index of marriages that can help you locate the record you need before visiting the Milford courthouse.

Pike County Marriage Records Office

The Pike County Courthouse in Milford is where all marriage license records are filed and stored. Staff at the Recorder's Office handle new license applications, maintain old records, and provide copies to the public. Both applicants must appear together to apply for a new marriage license in Pike County.

The courthouse is located at 506 Broad Street in Milford. Call ahead to confirm hours and learn what documents to bring. Under Section 1301 of Title 23, every marriage in Pennsylvania must have a license. Pike County follows all state requirements for issuing licenses and filing the completed records.

Pike County is a smaller county, and the staff at the Milford courthouse can often provide personal attention when you visit. Wait times are typically short. If you call in advance with the names and dates you are looking for, staff can have information ready when you arrive at the Pike County office.

How to Find Pike County Marriage Records

You can search for Pike County marriage records in person at the Milford courthouse. Bring a valid photo ID and whatever details you have about the marriage. Full names and an approximate year will help the staff find the record quickly. You can get plain copies for family history research or certified copies for legal use.

The Pike County Genealogical Society maintains a marriage index with entries sorted by groom surname and bride surname. Each entry lists the groom, bride, date of marriage, and the book and page numbers. This index can save you time by letting you pinpoint the exact record before you go to the Recorder's Office. The society charges $2.00 for a plain copy and $9.00 for a certified copy. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for mail requests.

Under Section 1309 of Title 23, marriage license applications in Pennsylvania are public records. Anyone can request them. You do not need to be named on the license.

The UJS portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us allows case searches by name across all Pennsylvania counties.

Note: Some early Pike County marriage entries in the Genealogical Society index have a date but no book or page number. For these entries, contact the Recorder's Office directly to locate the original record.

Pike County Marriage License Rules

Both people must appear at the Pike County Courthouse in Milford to apply for a marriage license. Each person needs a valid photo ID and a Social Security card. Anyone who was married before must provide a certified divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. Both applicants must be at least 18 years old.

After you apply, there is a three-day waiting period before the license is valid. This period begins on the day both people sign the application. Once issued, the Pike County license remains valid for 60 days under Section 1307 and can be used anywhere in Pennsylvania.

Self-uniting licenses are also available. These do not require an officiant but need two witnesses. After any ceremony in Pike County, the officiant or witnesses must return the duplicate certificate to the county office within 10 days.

Historical Marriage Records in Pike County

Pike County civil marriage license records begin in 1885. There is no known record of a courthouse fire or major disaster, so the historical files are intact. Before 1885, marriage records in Pike County come mainly from church registers. The Presbyterian Church in Milford was established in 1825, and the Methodist Church at Dingman's Ferry was gathered in 1830 and built in 1870. These early church records may hold marriage information that predates the civil files.

The 1852 to 1854 Pennsylvania marriage returns include Pike County entries. These can be searched through Ancestry, which Pennsylvania residents can access for free through the State Archives partnership. This brief period of state-mandated recording captured some marriages before the 1885 requirement took effect.

The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg holds digitized microfilm of some county marriage records. You can view these in person at the Archives. The staff there does not search records by mail, but on-site researchers have full access to available Pike County microfilm.

Note: The FamilySearch collection of Pennsylvania County Marriages from 1885 to 1950 does not include Pike County. You will need to contact the courthouse in Milford directly for records from this period.

What Pike County Marriage Records Show

A marriage record from Pike County contains details about both applicants. The license application lists full names, ages, dates of birth, and places of residence. Social Security numbers appear on the original but may be hidden on public copies. Parents' names and birthplaces are included as well.

The returned certificate shows the date and place of the ceremony. It lists the name of the officiant or witnesses. Prior marriage history is also noted. Pike County marriage records from different eras contain different levels of detail. Older records may have fewer fields than modern ones.

• Full names of both spouses
• Date and place of the marriage ceremony
• Parents' names and birthplaces
• Name of the officiant or witnesses
• Prior marriage history

Pike County Marriage Genealogy Research

Family history researchers working in Pike County have several tools at hand. The Pike County Genealogical Society holds marriage indexes gathered from the Recorder's Office. These indexes are arranged by surname and provide the book and page numbers needed to locate the full record. Contact the society for copies or visit their library for in-person research.

Ancestry has the 1852 to 1854 Pennsylvania Marriages collection, which includes Pike County. The FamilySearch Pennsylvania County Marriages collection covers 1885 to 1950 for many counties, though Pike County is not included in that set. For Pike County records in this range, the courthouse in Milford is the best source.

Church records are especially important for Pike County marriages before 1885. If you know which church a family attended, contact that congregation or check with local historical societies. The Library of Congress guide to Pennsylvania vital records lists additional resources for pre-civil-era research.

Nearby Counties

Pike County sits at the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania. Marriage records are filed where the couple applied for the license. If you are not sure which county holds the record, check where the application was made.

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