Step-by-Step Washington Research, 1907--Present
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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.
What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
- 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History at ThoughtCo.com
- Creating Oral Histories at FamilySearch Wiki
What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.
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Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1900-1950, online.
- A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
- For each person living in a household (depending on the year), their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed.
- Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
- Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.
Using clues to lead to census record searches.
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In this marriage certificate, C.M Jewett and Mamie Austin were married in 1909 in Seattle, King County, Washington. This gives clues as to how to locate them in census records.
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Finding a new generation.
Searching for Charles Merle Jewett and Mamie Austin in the 1900 census shows these details for their parents.
Mamie is listed in the home of her parents, Robert and Mary Austin.
Charles Merle Jewett is listed with two brothers in Iowa Soldiers Orphans Home. (Later searches show that Charles' name is Charles Merle.)
Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
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For more information, see Washington Census and United States Census.
Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or even towns in some states recorded births, marriages, and deaths. In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations. A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.
Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
- In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
- A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
- A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.
Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.
In the 1910 census, Charles and Mamie Jewett have a newborn son, Robert. The 1920 census shows another son, Glen, born in about 1912. We can look for the birth certificates of these boys.
Example of a birth certificate.
Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
- establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
- find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.
Charles and Mamie Jewett have a marriage certificate in possession of the family. But another marriage record filed with the state of Washington goes into greater detail about the couple. It gives their parents' names and birth places.
Using census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:
- birth date and place of the deceased
- maiden name of the wife
- names of the deceased's parents
- birth places of the deceased's parents.
Example of a death certificate.
Sometimes online records will be index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate.
Gather as many birth, marriage, and death records as possible.
How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
- online databases
- writing to a county courthouse (prior to the beginning of state civil registration)
- purchasing them through the mail at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov
Online databases, usually indexes, with some images
Also, see How to Find Washington Birth Records. |
Also, see How to Find Washington Marriage Records. |
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Also, see How to Find Washington Death Records. |
Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Washington Counties.
Order Certificates from Washington Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).
- Where to Write for Washington Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Washington, see How to Find Washington Birth Records, How to Find Washington Marriage Records, and How to Find Washington Death Records.
Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.
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Obituaries
- 1980-2014 United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Obituaries in Washington at Obituaries.com — index & images
- Online Washington Death Records and Indexes at DeathIndexes.com — index
- Washington Newspapers and Obituaries at LDS Genealogy — index
- Washington Obituaries at ObitsArchive.com — index & images ($)
- Washington Obituaries at USGenWeb Archives — index
- Washington Obituaries Help and Genealogy Resources at ObituariesHelp.org — index & images
Cemeteries
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- 1810-1960 Washington Deaths and Burials, 1810-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1848-Onward Washington Burials at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1949-1969 United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- BillionGraves — index & images
- BillionGraves Index at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Findmypast ($)
- FindaGrave — index & images
- Find a Grave Index at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- Online Washington Death Records and Indexes at DeathIndexes.com — index
- Search the Digital Archives at Washington State Archives, Digital Archives — index; select the 'Cemetery Records' collection
- Washington Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy — index
- Washington Death Records and Washington Cemetery Records at Interment.net — index
- USGenWeb Tombstone Project for Washington at USGenWeb Tombstones — index
U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
- The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
- You can search these records online at
- 1935-2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($); Picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off by providing information filed in the application or claims process
- 1962-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.
For more information, see Washington Obituaries and Washington Cemeteries.
Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information.
Example of a World War I draft card.
Example of a World War II draft card.
Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- 1917-1918 United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1942 United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
For more information and additional collections, see Washington Military Records.
Step 6: Look for church records online.
Church records function as vital records.
- An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
- Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
- Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.
Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.
FamilySearch
- 1810-1960 Washington Deaths and Burials, 1810-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Dutch Reformed
- 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Episcopal
- 1870-1970 Washington, U.S., Episcopal Diocese of Spokane Church Records, 1870-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Presbyterian
- 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
For help with church records kept in Washington, see Washington Church Records.
To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.
Step 7: Search for wills and probate packets.
- County probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
- In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
- Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.
Search these indexes and images for probate records.
- 1803-2010 U.S., Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1832-1950 U.S., Washington, County Probate Case Files, 1832-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1851-1970 Washington, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1851-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1853-1929 U.S., Washington, County Probate Records, 1853-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1856-2009 Washington, U.S., County Records, 1856-2009 at Ancestry — images ($)
Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each Washington county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Washington Counties
For more information, see Washington Probate Records and United States Probate Records.
Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.
Look for immigrant ancestors in shipping lists and citizenship sources.
Washington Immigration Records
- 1882-1965 Washington, U.S., Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1965 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1890-1957 Washington, Seattle, Passenger Lists, 1890-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1903-1944 North Dakota and Washington, U.S., Chinese Arriving Passenger Arrivals and Disposition, 1903-1944 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1904-1944 U.S., Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports, 1904-1944 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1947-1954 Washington, Seattle, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplanes, 1947-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1947-1957 Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, U.S., Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- United States, Passenger and Crew Lists at Findmypast — index & images ($)
Washington Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records
- 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1840-1957 U.S., Naturalization Records, 1840-1957 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1850-1982 Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1850-1994 Washington Naturalization Records, 1850-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1853-1980 Washington, U.S., Naturalizations, 1853-1980 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1860-1991 Washington, U.S., Petitions for Naturalization, 1860-1991 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1878-1974 Washington, U.S., County Naturalizations, 1878-1974 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Washington Naturalization Records at Washington State Archive, Digital Archives — index & images
For more information, see Washington Emigration and Immigration and Washington Naturalization and Citizenship.
Step 9: Search for printed local histories or biography collections online.
Local Histories
- Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
- Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: Washington; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
- Google Books. Use keywords "Washington" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
- Family History Books
- County and Town Histories
- Internet Archive. Use keywords "Washington" and the county name.
- Ancestry.com ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Washington and the name of the county.
FamilySearch Collected Local Histories
- Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
- If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
- Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
- In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
- A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.
Biography Collections
- 1913 Who's Who on the Pacific Coast, 1913 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- A History of the Puget Sound Country, Its Resources, Its Commerce and Its People, by Prosser, William Farrand. New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1903. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust
- An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, Containing Biographical Mention of Its Pioneers and Prominent Citizens, by Hines, H. K. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1893. Online at: HathiTrust
- Biographies of Washingtonians at University of Washington — index & images
- County and Town Histories, Washington at LearnWebSkills — index & images
- History of Washington, the Evergreen State, from Early Dawn to Daylight; With Portraits and Biographies, by Hawthorne, Julian and G. Douglas Brewerton. New York: American Historical Publishing Co., 1893. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust
- Washington, West of the Cascades; Historical and Descriptive; the Explorers, the Indians, the Pioneers, the Modern, by Hunt, Herbert and Floyd C. Kaylor. Chicago, Seattle, Tacoma: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1917. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust; Vol. 3 - HathiTrust
For more information, see Washington Biography.
Step 10: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.
- County historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
- Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
- Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the county.
- Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia than you.
- If you can find the society on the internet, they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, you can hire one of their members to search the collection for you.
- For more information, see Washington Societies.
The online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the list to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings.
Step 11: Use other FamilySearch tools.
Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
- Washington, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Washington, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Washington Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in Washington Online Genealogy Records. The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Washington Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Washington.
This article focused more on Washington state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Washington. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.
- Adams
- Asotin
- Benton
- Chelan
- Clallam
- Clark
- Columbia
- Cowlitz
- Douglas
- Ferry
- Franklin
- Garfield
- Grant
- Grays Harbor
- Island
- Jefferson
- King
- Kitsap
- Kittitas
- Klickitat
- Lewis
- Lincoln
- Mason
- Okanogan
- Pacific
- Pend Oreille
- Pierce
- San Juan
- Skagit
- Skamania
- Snohomish
- Spokane
- Stevens
- Thurston
- Wahkiakum
- Walla Walla
- Whatcom
- Whitman
- Yakima