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Snohomish County, Washington Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Everett
Organized: January 14, 1861
Parent County(s): Island, King
Neighboring Counties
Chelan • Island • King • Kitsap • Skagit
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Snohomish County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-snohomish.png

Virgin Lake, Blanca Lake, Snohomish County, Washington

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Snohomish tribe. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Snohomish County Courthouse
3000 Rockefeller Ave
Everett, WA 98201
Phone: 425-388-3331
Snohomish County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records, 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1891.
County clerk has divorce, probate records and court records. [2]

Snohomish County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1882 1880 1889 1878 1879 1880 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
  • Florence
  • Fortson
  • Galena
  • Getchell
  • Hazel
  • Reiter
  • Robe
  • Silverton
  • Sisco
  • Trafton
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

History Timeline

  • The Snohomish Tribe comprised the largest Native American population in this county area.
  • 1792 June 4, British Captain George Vancouver landed on the beach south of Hebolb, claiming the Puget Sound region for King George III.
  • 1853 The Tulalip Bay settlement has been described as the birthplace of Snohomish County.
  • 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1855-January 22 Governor Isaac Stevens and 81 tribal leaders met at Point Elliott (now Mukilteo) to sign a treaty between regional tribes and the U.S. government.
  • 1861-January 14 As the population grew, local settlers petitioned the territorial legislature to develop a separate county, and Snohomish County, originally part of Island County, was formed
  • 1860s-1870s Rich farmland and easy water access attracted homesteaders, and settlements also began at Lowell, Monroe, Stanwood, and Edmonds.
  • 1889 Snohomish County grew, as did all the Pacific Northwest, with the arrival of the railroad.
  • 1889-July 4 Joseph Pearsall struck gold and staked a claim at Monte Cristo. This drew prospectors to the area and helped solidify plans for the development of an industrial city at Port Gardner Bay.
  • 1914-1918 World War I dashed the hopes of radicals, and Snohomish County solidly backed the war effort. The predominant economy now was lumbering,

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 Snohomish 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. %±
1870 599 —
1880 1,387 131.6%
1890 8,514 513.8%
1900 23,950 181.3%
1910 59,209 147.2%
1920 67,690 14.3%
1930 78,861 16.5%
1940 88,754 12.5%
1950 111,580 25.7%
1960 172,199 54.3%
1970 265,236 54.0%
1980 337,720 27.3%
1990 465,642 37.9%
2000 606,024 30.1%
2010 713,335 17.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal: 1910
Territorial: 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889

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.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

  • Everett

Lutheran
Snohomish County

Swans Trail Lutheran Church, Everett

  • Records of Swans Trail Lutheran Church, Everett, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

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

The court procedure 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 Indians

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.

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

  • Everett and Snohomish County : a Pictorial History, by Robert M. Humphrey. Norfolk, Virginia : Donning Company, ©1984. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library,
  • History of Snohomish County, by William Whitfield. 2 volumes. Chicago : Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1926.

Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. 1 & 2 - HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

Island CountyKitsap CountyJefferson CountySkagit CountyChelan CountyKing CountyWA SNOHOMISH.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

World War II

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.

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

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 Snohomish 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 Snohomish County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

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

Everett Public Library
2702 Hoyt Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
Phone: 425-257-8000
Website

Museums

Societies

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

League of Snohomish County Heritage Organizations
Email: Info@snocoheritage.org
Website

Sno-Isle Genealogical Society
19827 Poplar Way
Lynnwood, WA 98036
Phone: 425-775-6267
Website

Websites

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

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Snohomish County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snohomish_County,_Washington, accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Spokane County, Washington page 734, 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), Snohomish 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, "Snohomish County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snohomish_County,_Washington, accessed 25 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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