Marriage Bonds 1763-1864; Marriage Registrations 1864-1949

Civil registration of marriages in Nova Scotia began in 1758, with the introduction of procedures for obtaining a marriage license. The license was optional, surviving records are incomplete, and 'calling the banns' remained the preferred procedure for formalizing the marriage ritual. The parallel custom of posting a Marriage Bond, in addition to taking out a license, also dates from this early period. The bond was an optional adjunct which served to indicate the absence of legal impediments to the intended marriage; an incomplete series of these bonds exists for the years 1763-1864. Mandatory civil registration of marriages began in 1864 and has continued since, although compliance was not universal throughout the province until the early 20th century.

Publisher

Government of Nova Scotia

Resources

8

Catalogue metadata updated

2026-04-17