Banns Of Matrimony, a public proclamation of the intention of the parties named to enter into the state of matrimony, being a notice to any one to make objection if he knows of any reason why the marriage should not take place. The term seems to be derived from the Teutonic ban, an interdict, whence to put under ban in the German empire was to excommunicate or declare outlawry. The custom is traced to the early Christians, who interwove it into their ecclesiastical polity. Its introduction into France dates from the 5th century, and in other parts of Europe it was probably adopted about the same time, or was coeval with the establishment of Christianity, as the laws regulating it are everywhere very similar. In the French and English churches they were identical, and required the proclamation to be made on three successive Sundays in church, during the celebration of public worship. The object of publication was to prevent clandestine marriages, or those which for various reasons are unlawful, as also the effect of precipitancy.

In England the banns of a marriage to be celebrated according to the forms of the established church are required to be published three weeks previous to the marriage, a modification of the old custom of oral proclamation; but the parties may dispense with this by procuring a license from a person authorized to grant it. In Scotland three weeks' publication is necessary to a regular, as distinguished from a clandestine marriage; and also in France, by the provisions of the Code Napoleon. In the United States the tendency of legislation has been toward the repeal of all statutes requiring publication. In the Roman Catholic churches of this country, however, it is the rule to publish the banns on two Sundays previous to the wedding, when both the parties to the marriage are Catholics.