| Sorted by Washington census & voter lists | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| Washington, U.S., State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 | 772,246 |
| Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914Free | 769,198 |
| U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898 | 165,796 |
| Washington, U.S., Enrollment and Allotment Applications of Washington Indians, 1911-1919Free | 31,303 |
| Washington, U.S., Compiled Census Index, 1850-1890 | 9,546 |
| View all Washington census & voter lists (6) |
| Sorted by Washington birth, marriage & death | Sort by Count |
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| Washington, U.S., Marriage Records, 1854-2013Free | 14,989,575 |
| Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-2017 | 11,890,418 |
| U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 | 4,566,787 |
| Washington, U.S., Marriage Index, 1969-2017 | 4,262,083 |
| Washington, U.S., Select Death Index, 1907-1960 | 2,995,462 |
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| Sorted by Washington military | Sort by Count |
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| U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 | 14,501,913 |
| Washington, U.S., Military Records, 1855-1950 | 231,733 |
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| Sorted by Washington immigration & emigration | Sort by Count |
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| U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project)Free | 5,810,303 |
| U.S., Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports, 1904-1944 | 4,355,886 |
| Washington, U.S., Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1965Updated | 3,764,898 |
| Washington, U.S., Petitions for Naturalization, 1860-1991 | 539,916 |
| U.S., Applications for Seaman's Protection Certificates, 1916-1940 | 320,331 |
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| Washington, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current | 355,120,870 |
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| There are no pictures collections unique to Washington | |
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| U.S., Northern Pacific Railway Company Personnel Files, 1890-1963 | 315,594 |
| U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970 | 210,143 |
| U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970 | 52,945 |
| Washington, U.S., Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965 | 15,381 |
| Oregon, Washington and Alaska gazetteer and business directory : 1901-1902. | 1,208 |
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| Washington, U.S., County Records, 1856-2009 | 6,879,890 |
| Washington, U.S., State Corrections and Jail Records, 1877-1970 | 1,202,320 |
| Washington, U.S., County Land Records, 1850-1954 | 884,953 |
| Washington, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1851-1970 | 329,243 |
| U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898 | 165,796 |
| View all Washington court, land, wills & financial (6) |
| Sorted by Washington dictionaries, encyclopedias & reference | Sort by Count |
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| Who's Who on the Pacific Coast, 1913Free | 3,701 |
| Oregon, Washington and Alaska gazetteer and business directory : 1901-1902. | 1,208 |
| Charles W. Smith's Pacific Northwest Americana | 388 |
| Origin of Washington geographic names | 364 |
| Guide to depositories of manuscript collections in the United States. | 46 |
| View other dictionaries, encyclopedias & reference collections related to Washington (99) |
| Sorted by Washington maps, atlases & gazetteers | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898 | 165,796 |
| View other maps, atlases & gazetteers collections related to Washington (8) |
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|---|---|
| U.S., Women of the West, 1928Free | 4,669 |
| Who's Who on the Pacific Coast, 1913Free | 3,701 |
| A history of the Puget Sound country | 1,307 |
| Historic towns of the western states | 732 |
| The Oregonian's handbook of the Pacific Northwest | 633 |
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A genealogical history
Statehood: November 11, 1889
Capital: Olympia
Largest City: Seattle
Counties: 39
State motto: Al-Ki or Alki (By and By, or Hope For The Future)
State nickname: Evergreen State, Chinook State, Green Tree State
Neighboring states: Idaho, Oregon
Kettle Falls of the Columbia River, 1860
Interesting facts
- The first group of Americans who settled north of the Columbia River in what is now the state of Washington, had among its leaders a wealthy African American, George Washington Bush. Refused settlement south of the Columbia river, he and his group settled at Tumwater where he farmed until his death in 1863.
- The northern border of Washington was disputed between the U.S. and England until 1846 when it was set at the 49th parallel, with the exception of Vancouver Island (a portion of which does extend south of the line).
- The market for timber during the California Gold Rush brought settlers and the timber industry to the Puget Sound area. Timber from the area was used to build the rapidly expanding city of San Francisco and the surrounding area.
- In 1860 gold was discovered in the Clearwater River area. This and the expansion of railroads in the area boosted the population, which doubled during the 1860s.
Featured Washington collections
Famous people
Help and advice
Resources
Washington Census Research
Federal census records for Washington begin in 1850 and continue every ten years thereafter. 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.
Washington Vital Records
Before 1891, Washington did not require the recording of births and deaths, although some counties and cities kept births and deaths. Between 1891 and 1907, birth and death registers were kept on the county level. Marriages have been recorded by county officials since the creation of Washington Territory in 1853.
- Washington State Archives: The Archives has indexes and registers of birth, marriage, and death records for selected years. Many registers and indexes are available online in the Washington State Digital Archives. See the Genealogy page for information on the Archives’ specific vital records holdings.
- Western States marriage index (BYU Idaho): a searchable index to marriages in several western states, including Washington. See the web site for specific counties and years included in the index.
- Washington Center for Health Statistics: Holds records of births and deaths from July 1907 to the present (current certificates may lag by 2-4 months), and marriage and divorce certificates from January 1968 to 4 months before the present date. See the above link for detailed holdings and ordering information.
Washington Research Resources
The organizations listed below provide information about Washington history and genealogy. In addition to these state-level resources, many counties and towns maintain important genealogical collections in local libraries, genealogical societies, or historical societies, so check for a local resource when researching.
Statewide Research Resources
- Washington State Library: The Library holds an extensive collection of genealogy resources. Among the highlights are the world’s largest collection Washington State newspapers; a large map collection; and many county and state level books on Washington history. Selected newspapers, historical books, maps, photos, and other resources can be searched as digital collections.
- Washington State Archives: The Genealogy page describes some of the Archives’ genealogy holdings. Many collections have been made available in the Washington State Digital Archives. Some genealogical highlights of this rich searchable resource include vital records indexes and registers; military records; land records, maps, and plats and surveys; and naturalization records.
- Washington State Historical Society
- Washington State Genealogical Society
- Washington GenWeb
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at Seattle: This facility maintains records from Federal agencies and courts in Washington, including census, military, court, naturalization, and immigration records.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office Records: The BLM administers Federal Land for public land states including Washington, and maintains records of land patents which granted land from the Federal Government to individuals. Use the Land Patent Search to locate land grants by name. Many record images are available on the web site. See the FAQ for more information on how to locate and use land patents.
Specialty and Regional Research
- King County Archives
- Seattle Municipal Archives
- Columbia River Basin Ethnic History project: Centralizes highlights of the ethnic collections from leading repositories in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and covers Americans of African, Basque, Chinese, German, Jewish, Italian, Mexican, Russian, and Native American origin.
- Chronicling America: Online newspapers Provides searchable online versions of selected Washington newspapers.