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Island County, Washington Genealogy

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Guide to Island County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Coupeville
Organized: 22 Dec 1852
Parent County(s): Thurston
Neighboring Counties
Jefferson • Kitsap • San Juan • Skagit • Snohomish
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Island County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-island.png

Deception Pass, Whidbey Island, Island County, Washington

County Information

Description

Island County was named for the fact that it is composed entirely of islands. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Island County Courthouse
101 6th St NE
Coupeville, WA 98239
Phone: 360-679-7361
Island County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1870-1907, marriage records from 1855 land records from 1853.
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. [2]

Island County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1870 1855 1870 1891 1853 1853 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • Mabana
  • Maxwelton
  • San De Fuca
Census-designated places


History Timeline

  • For thousands of years, the only occupants of the Pacific Northwest were Indians
  • 1792 The area that comprises Island County was first explored by Captain George Vancouver.
  • 1850 September 27, Congress passed the Oregon Donation Land Act, granting a "donation" of free land -- 320 acres to each single man and 640 acres to each married couple -- to anyone who had settled on the land before December 1 of that year.
  • 1850 October 15, Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey was the first man to file a claim, for 640 acres, in Central Whidbey Island.
  • 1852 December 22 Island County was created by the Oregon Territorial Legislature from a portion of Thurston County.
  • 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1850s Irish immigrants began to settle in the Oak Harbor area, followed by Dutch immigrants in the 1890s.

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Biographical information is often found in Local Histories and in Genealogies (please see those headings). See also Washington Biography.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Island County, Washington online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

See Washington Census for online censuses, including territorial. For more information, see United States Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 294 —
1870 626 112.9%
1880 1,087 73.6%
1890 1,787 64.4%
1900 1,870 4.6%
1910 4,704 151.6%
1920 5,489 16.7%
1930 5,369 −2.2%
1940 6,098 13.6%
1950 11,079 81.7%
1960 19,638 77.3%
1970 27,011 37.5%
1980 44,048 63.1%
1990 60,195 36.7%
2000 71,558 18.9%
2010 78,506 9.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Highly variable in personal information, court records can mention relatives, occupations, or pinpoint residences and dates. See Washington Court Records for the various courts used through the years.

Online Court Indexes and Records

  • 1853-1889 Island Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Archives - index only
The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

American Indian

Japanese

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. Local histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons. See also Washington Compiled Genealogies.

Genealogy Research

Guardianship

Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by Probate or District courts. See Washington Court Records and Washington Probate Records.

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Local histories for Island County may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers

San Juan CountyClallam CountyJefferson CountyKitsap CountySkagit CountySnohomish CountyKing CountyWA ISLAND.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:
• Censuses: (use birthdates and places of children as clues)
• Land Records: (1st deed may reveal previous residence)
• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth
• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military Records

Indian Wars

World War I

Japanese

Naturalization and Citizenship

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. Note: Until 1922 in the United States, women's citizenship was based on that of their husbands.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

Obituaries

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, living family members, education, occupation, and more. See Washington Obituaries for state level collections and United States Obituaries for tips and insights.

Virtually all obituaries have been collected for Island County residents from local newspapers, ranging from 1890s - December 2010. Gaps for The Island County Times in the early 1890s and the South Whidbey Record before 1935 and during 1944.

Other Records

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Online School Indexes and Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington Taxation.

Vital Records

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. On July 1, 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.[7]

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

The county clerk has the divorce records. To order certificates, see Washington State Department of Health.

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Island County. For state-wide facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy. Listed below are libraries in Island County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

Resources for Island County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Clinton Library
4781 Deer Lake Rd
Clinton, WA 98236
Phone: 360-341-4280
Website

Coupeville Library
788 NW Alexander
Coupeville, WA 98239
Phone: 360-678-4911
Website

Freeland Library
5495 Harbor Ave
Freeland, WA 98249
Phone: 360-331-7323
Website

Langley Library
104 Second Street
Langley, WA 98260
Phone: 360-221-4383
Website

Oak Harbor Library
1000 SE Regatta Drive
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Phone: 360-675-5115
Website

Museums

South Whidbey Historical Society Museum
312 Second Street
PO Box 612
Langley, WA 98260
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Island County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Washington Societies.

Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island
Website

Island County Historical Society
908 NW Alexander St
PO Box 305
Coupeville, WA 98239
Phone: 360-678-3310
Website
Facebook

Websites

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Island County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_County,_Washington, accessed 17/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Island County, Washington page 733, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Island County, Washington . Page 732-735 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 733-734.
  4. ↑ The Evolution of Washington Counties by Newton Carl Abbott, Fred E. Carver, 1979. Published by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society and Klickitat County Genealogical Society.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Island County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_County,_Washington, accessed 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
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