This database indexes over 130,000 marriage licenses applied for in Berks County. While this index contains records up to and including 1929, the Register of Wills' website's index consists of all applications through the present and is updated monthly. When submitting a request for a copy to the Berks County Register of Wills Office, indicate the name, volume, and page number.

Note: The months and days of those marriages applied for between Jan. 1, 1885 and Dec. 31, 1910 are not available because only the year of marriage was recorded during that time period.

This database is part of over 750,000 records held by the Berks County, Pennsylvania Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court whose office is located in the Berks County Services Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The indexes were compiled by the staff of these offices and volunteers over a period of eight (8) years. The records were typed either from the indexes themselves or, for those records not indexed, from the actual documents.

In 1752 Berks County was formed as the seventh Pennsylvania County, from portions of Philadelphia, Lancaster and Chester Counties. At that time, Berks County included parts of the present counties of Schuylkill, Northumberland, Columbia, Montour, Union, Centre and Lycoming. As more settlers populated the frontier, additional counties were formed and Berks was limited to its present boundaries. For this reason, researchers from Berks and neighboring counties often find traces of their family heritage through Berks County's historical records.

Extended Description

To obtain copies of the original records indexed in these records, e-mail your request to "rwills@mail.countyofberks.com" with a list of the records which interest you. You will receive back a listing indicating how much each record will cost. Next, mail a check or money order to the address listed below. In your correspondence, indicate the records you would like to obtain, list your email address, and indicate that you found the records on Ancestry.com. Copies will be forwarded as soon as possible upon receipt of your payment. Your check is not cashed until your order is processed.

Register of Wills

Berks County Courthouse

633 Court Street

2nd Floor

Reading PA, 19601-3581

More information about researching in Berks County is available at www.berksregofwills.com.