When a Marriage Disappears: Tracking Annulments in Your Family History

When a friend of mine first uncovered their grandmother’s marriage certificate, they thought they had the full story – until a conversation with her aunt led them to discover that the first marriage – to a man with nearly the same last name, no less – was “annulled.” It wasn’t a divorce, but a legal declaration that the marriage never legally existed. From her story, I realized how much more tangled family stories can be – and how annulment records are often the overlooked chapter.

Annulments aren’t as commonly discussed as divorces, but they can reveal hidden family truths – siblings you never knew, name changes, or legal complexities that impacted how history was recorded. The trick is that divorce records are already a challenge to find, and annulment records might just take the cake. Let’s uncover how to find these records – and why they matter when it comes to filling out your family tree. 

» Curious to see how rare legal documents can reveal hidden family stories? Check out 8 Types of Historical Documents You Can Use to Find Ancestors

Annulment Records – Different from Divorce Records?

An annulment is a court ruling that a marriage was invalid from the start – unlike a divorce, which ends a legally recognized union. Because annulments essentially erase the marriage legally, there’s often no formal “divorce certificate.” Instead, you’ll find court judgments, ecclesiastical decrees, or legislative annulment acts. 

Good, bad, or strange – there’s almost always a story behind an annulment. Some of these include: 

• One party was already married
• The spouses were closely related
• One party was underage or lacked capacity
• The marriage took place without legal or religious authority

What Annulment Records Can Reveal

Though rarer than divorce records, annulment files offer valuable insights. These documents often list family members and legal representatives, which are clues you won’t find in typical vital records. You’re also likely to find a declaration that the marriage was void and the legal reasoning or reasons cited.

In some annulments, witnesses or testimonies from court cases can be uncovered, as well as the follow-up impacts on name and status, such as name changes or the legitimacy of children. Finally, estate or inheritance implications can become a significant issue following an annulment, especially if the marriage was previously invalidated. 

Where to Find Annulment Records Online

Annulment records can be found in various archives and online databases, depending on the time and place they occurred. Online databases are often the most direct and efficient means of accessing this information. 

To start, use filters for Court Records or Legal Records, followed by broader search terms such as “annulment,” “nullity,” or “decree,” especially within court collections. You can also boost accuracy by combining with filters for your ancestor’s location and approximate date range.

Beyond these databases, however, here are a few other options:

1. Civil and Court Archives

• In the U.S., check county-level court archives or state judicial records – some courts specifically handle civil annulments
• In other countries, annulments may be part of legislative acts (e.g., an annulment act in the state legislature)

2. Church and Ecclesiastical Courts

• In Catholic-majority countries (like historically in Colombia), some annulments were granted by the Church, resulting in decrees filed in diocesan archives

3. Newspapers and Legal Notices

• Annulment proceedings were sometimes announced in legal notices – local newspapers may hold announcements or follow-up articles

4. Alternate Records and Clues

• If you find no formal annulment record, watch for clues like:
  • A spouse reverting to a maiden name
  • Later marriage records that list “never married”
  • Census or registry entries showing a changed marital status

Annulments and the Ever-Branching Family Tree

Annulment records are often messy, but they can help rewrite relationships today, offering some much-needed clarity and even closure. These records could let your family know why certain children were born under certain names, why marriages weren’t officially recognized, or why a family branch just vanished from official records.

» Want more on how people’s stories were documented before modern systems? Read How Countries Documented Their Populations Before Censuses and Vital Records