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Washington State Public Records
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To Search Public and Vital Records -
Vital records are records of life events important enough that
some level of government acquires, organizes, and preserves
them. While the term "vital records" is often applied
to a wide variety of life events... Read
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Washington State Vital Records
Prior to 1891, Washington had no legislative provision for the recording
of births and deaths. However, some counties and cities did record
births and deaths prior to that time. Between 1891 and 1907, birth
and death registers were kept on the county level. The filing of marriages
with county officials has been required by law since the creation
of Washington Territory in 1853. Post 1907 vital records in the state
Office of Vital Records in Olympia are not open to the public for
research.
For birth and death records from 1 July 1907 and marriage records
from 1 January 1968, write:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709
For earlier records, write to the auditor of the
county in question.
Washington State Census Records
Federal census records for Washington begin in 1850 and continue
every ten years thereafter. They are currently available through
1920 (except for the mostly destroyed 1890 census). All are indexed
except 1910. The 1850 census placed the present-day state of Washington
with the Oregon Territory. The 1860 enumeration included what was
later to become Idaho Territory and parts of Montana and Wyoming.
Several territorial censuses were recorded for Washington. These
schedules were required periodically by the federal government and
excluded all Native Americans. The surviving schedules are available
on microfilm through the Washington State Archives or its regional
branches. The University of Washington, Suzzalo Library, has a two-volume
set of territorial censuses which have been microfilmed and are
available through interlibrary loan from the Washington State Library.
For a listing of counties and years involved with territorial and
state censuses for Washington, consult:
Eichholz, Alice, ed. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County
and Town Sources. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992.
Washington State Land Records
Washington is a federal-land state. Lands were generally acquired
from the federal government or from other individuals. Federal land
was available under a variety of programs. The most popular was
through Donation Lands or Homestead acts. Donation entry files for
Oregon and Washington are on file separately at the National Archives/Pacific
Northwest Region in Seattle from 1851 to 1903. A large portion of
the donation land claim files have been indexed or abstracted, and
these indexes are on file at the National Archives and the FHL under
the title Abstracts of Washington Donation Land Claims, 1855–1902
(National Archives, 1951). The Seattle Genealogical Society has
indexed and published the Washington Donation Land Records.
Federal records were kept by the local General Land Office, which
is now the Bureau of Land Management. The tract books for these
offices are now at the Federal Bureau of Land Management, 825 N.E.
Multnomah Street, Portland, OR 97208. Land-entry case files house
the application process for most federal transactions. Copies of
these files, including homesteads, can be obtained from the National
Archives in Washington, D.C. If an ancestor was a miner, the Washington
State Archives publication "Index to Mining Surveys, 1883–1964,"
will be valuable. This publication provides an index to the sixty-six
volumes of the Surveyor General's surveys of mining claims in the
territory and state of Washington. These are arranged alphabetically
by mine name, mining district, volume, and page number. The mining
surveys themselves are available on microfilm at the state archives.
Once land was transferred from the government to an individual,
it was thereafter transacted by deeds recorded with the county auditor.
For further information on land and property research, consult:
Hone, E. Wade. Land and Property Research in the United States.
Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997.
Washington State Court Records
Court records include probate records (which include wills), guardianship,
naturalization, and a wide variety of other sources, ranging from
criminal trials to simple road orders. All contain information about
individuals within the area. It should be remembered that there
are different levels of jurisdiction for courts in the United States,
all of which should be considered for research under various circumstances.
Court of Common Pleas, Orphan's Court, Probate Court, District Court,
Superior Court, Supreme Court, and other titles are among those
encountered. To study more about court records in general, see "Research
in Court Records," by Arlene H. Eakle, in:
Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, eds. The
Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City:
Ancestry, 1997.
Washington State Military Records
A series of guides on the Washington State and Territorial Militia
entitled Washington National Guard Pamphlet, by Virgil F. Field,
was published in the 1960s by the Washington State Military Department,
Office of the Adjutant General, at Camp Murray in Tacoma. This seven-volume
work is an overview history of the Washington National Guard during
the territorial period, Indian Wars, Civil War, Philippine Insurrection,
World War I, World War II, and the post-World War II era. It is
an excellent introduction to the Washington State or Territorial
Militia.
The Washington State Archives has early service records for the
Indian Wars which include muster rolls and correspondence and financial
records, as well as records of residents of the State Soldiers'
Home and State Veterans' Home up to the mid-1930s. Washington veterans
of World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam could apply for
a state bonus. These applications and supporting papers were originally
filed with the state auditor and are now deposited at the Washington
State Archives. Information listed in these files includes residence
of the veteran, occupation, relationships, birthplace, and military
information. Also housed in the state archives are the National
Guard statements of service cards for those guardsmen who participated
in World War I and World War II, as well as National Guard special
orders and circular letters. For further information, consult:
Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and
State Sources. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994.
Additional Sources
Ficken, Robert E., and Charles P. LeWarne. Washington: A Centennial
History. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1988.
Genealogical Resources in Washington State: A Guide to Genealogical
Records held at Repositories, Government Agencies, and Archives.
Olympia: Secretary of State, Division of Archives and Records Management,
1983.
Ruby, Robert H., and John A. Browne. A Guide to the Indian Tribes
of the Pacific Northwest. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press,
1986.
Washington State Vital
Records:
Event: Birth or death
Cost of copy: $13.00
Address:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709
Remarks: Must have exact information for births.
State office has had records since July 1907. For King, Pierce,
and Spokane counties copies may also be obtained from county health
departments. County Auditor of county of birth has registered births
prior to July 1907.
Check or money order should be made payable to Department
of Health. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (360)
236-4300. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also
available via the internet at Department of Health.
Search All Washington Records
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Event: Marriage (State)
Cost of copy: $13.00
Address:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709
Remarks: State office has had records since January
1968.
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Event: Marriage (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: County Auditor in county where license was
issued.
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Event: Divorce (State)
Cost of copy: $13.00
Address:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709
Remarks: State office has had records since January
1968.
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Event: Divorce (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: County Clerk in county where divorce was
granted.
Search All Washington Records
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