Have you ever tried to locate a loved one, long lost friend, or estranged relative? In years past, you had to hire a private detective. Then came the Internet, which hasn’t always been that helpful. When you do a search for someone online, you are bound to get thousands of sites that are irrelevant or pertain to completely different person who has the same name.

Search engines use keyword recognition. So, entering a name in the search box can only take you so far. However, there is a website that actually searches databases, in particular public marriage databases, to retrieve accurate information on the person you are searching for.

In fact, you can narrow your search by state. So, if you know that the person you are searching for lived in Connecticut, you can search for "Connecticut marriage records". Or, you could try several places that the person has lived until you come up with a match.

One of the powerful advantages of searching for marriage records is that it makes it possible to find women who no longer use their maiden name. If you had a friend who lived in North Carolina and now she is married and you don’t even know her last name, you can find her by searching the North Carolina Marriage records. At the very least, you will know what her married name is. From there it becomes easier to find the person you are looking for.

There are a variety of reasons why someone would want to search marriage records, such as checking the suitability of a potential partner, verifying the honesty of an employee, curiosity about family history and genealogy, and more. However, finding out how to start can be confusing unless you know the right place to start.

If you want to search public marriage records, then there is a simple way to handle it. There is a website that has been designed to assist your search in locating marriage records in every state and city in the USA.

When possible, they have listed the appropriate websites, phone numbers, and addresses of the state/city marriage records office, as well as details about how to source the records you’re looking for.

However, it's a good idea to search for the records online first. Just enter the first name, last name, and state in the search box at the top of this page. This will connect to an online database which contains over 1 billion US public records. This is usually the fastest way to find the records you require, as there is minimal waiting time, because the records are all waiting to be viewed online.

If you can't find the records you’re looking for, then browse the page relating to the state in which you suspect the record is held. There, you will find further information on finding the record and getting the information you want.