How to Find Cook County Marriage Licenses, 1900-1916
Step 1
Check the Cook County Marriage License Index that's available on
microfilm through the Family History Library system. (1900 is also included in the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900.)
Both bride and groom indexes are available. If you don't find an entry under
one, try the other.
If you find a matching
entry, note the license number and proceed to Step 2.
If you don't find a
matching entry, proceed to Step 3.
If you don't have access to the microfilm
index, proceed to Step 4.
Step 2
You can obtain a copy of the marriage
license by through ChicagoGenealogy.com ($5). You
can also access Cook
County marriage licenses, 1871-1916 through your local Family History
Center (about $5.50 to order a film; no cost if film is at FHC) or send in a
request to the Cook County
Clerk's Office ($15).
Please note that Cook County marriage licenses
and applications did not ask for parent names.
Step
3
If you don't find a match for the license you're looking
for in the online index, try one or more of the following:
Check the
online Chicago Tribune. Some Chicago newspapers published lists of
marriage licenses issued during some, but not all, years. If you find a name
there, but can't find it in the index to get the license number, check the index
for a name just above or just below. The newspaper lists appear to be in
issue-order and the license number can be deduced if can find one for another
name on the list.
Check for the marriage in Lake County,
Indiana (subscription index at Ancestry.com) and in St. Joseph,
Michigan (1889-1925
at RootsWeb)
Step 4
If it's not convenient
for you to access to the microfilm index through a Family History
Center you can request a quick index search and license lookup through ChicagoGenealogy.com
($6, if license is found; $2-$5 to document the negative
result, if no index entry is found) or send in a request to the Cook County
Clerk's Office ($15).