Bladen County Marriage Records Elizabethtown NC

Bladen County marriage records date back to 1749 and are held by the Register of Deeds in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. As one of the parent counties for a large portion of southeastern North Carolina, Bladen County carries significant weight in the region's genealogical record. You can request Bladen County marriage records in person, by phone, or by mail. This page explains how to find and obtain marriage records from this historic county, what the archive holds, and how to trace marriages connected to Bladen County's many descendant counties across southeastern North Carolina.

Bladen County Register of Deeds

The Bladen County Register of Deeds is at 106 W. Broad Street in Elizabethtown, NC 28337. The office phone is (910) 862-6700. This office is the official keeper of marriage records for Bladen County. Staff maintain all vital records including marriage licenses, certificates, and related documents. Business hours are Monday through Friday. Contact the office to confirm current hours and what you need before your visit.

Bladen County was created in 1734 from New Hanover County. Marriage records date from 1749. The county served as the parent county for many of the counties that now make up southeastern North Carolina, including Anson, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, and Robeson. This history makes Bladen County records particularly important for anyone researching families in a broad swath of the Carolinas. The county office website is at bladencounty.gov.

Bladen County as a Parent County for Marriage Records

Bladen County gave rise to several other North Carolina counties over time. Anson, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, and Robeson all have roots in territory that was once Bladen County. For genealogists tracing families in southeastern North Carolina, this means that a marriage recorded in one of these later counties may have roots in Bladen County records, depending on the time period.

If you are researching a family from before those later counties were created, you may need to look in Bladen County's records even if the family lived in what is now a different county. The county boundary lines shifted significantly in the 1700s and 1800s. The North Carolina State Archives can help you identify which county had jurisdiction over a specific location at a specific date.

The Register of Deeds in Elizabethtown can help you understand the scope of Bladen County's records and what time periods are covered in its archive. Staff are familiar with the county's history and can point you toward the right resources for your research.

Bladen County Marriage License Information

Both parties must appear in person at the Register of Deeds office in Elizabethtown to apply for a marriage license. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The license is valid for 60 days and may be used anywhere in North Carolina after it is issued.

After the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license to the Register of Deeds. The office records the document and it becomes the official marriage record for Bladen County. Call (910) 862-6700 before your visit to confirm the current license fee and any other requirements.

Bladen County Marriage Records Copies

Certified copies of Bladen County marriage records are available at the Register of Deeds in Elizabethtown. Bring photo ID and payment for the copy fee. Staff can typically provide a certified copy on the same day you visit. Certified copies carry the official seal and are accepted for legal use.

For mail requests, write to Bladen County Register of Deeds, 106 W. Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC 28337. Include the full names of both parties, the marriage date, your mailing address, and a check or money order for the copy fee. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive the copy by mail.

State-level marriage records from 1962 onward are also available through NC Vital Records in Raleigh. If you cannot locate a record at the county level, the state office is another option for marriages from the past several decades.

Historical Marriage Records in Bladen County

Bladen County's records from 1749 represent nearly three centuries of documented marriages in southeastern North Carolina. This kind of depth is valuable for family historians who are tracing lines that have lived in the region for many generations. The area that is now Bladen County was settled early in North Carolina's colonial period, and families who arrived in the 1700s may have descendants spread across much of the state today.

Early marriage records in North Carolina often took the form of marriage bonds rather than the license-and-certificate system used today. Marriage bonds named the groom and a bondsman who guaranteed the marriage would take place legally. These bonds sometimes survive when other records have been lost. The North Carolina State Archives holds many of these early bond records and can be a useful supplement to what the county office holds.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Bladen County or were formed from its territory. Marriage records belong to the county where the license was issued.