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Washington, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Washington,
United States
Flag of Washington
Flag of Washington
Locator map of Washington
Location of Washington
Record Description
Record Type Marriage
Collection years 1855-2008
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
State Archives, Olympia, Washington


What is in This Collection?

This collection contains marriage returns, certificates and a few affidavits depending on the county. Most of the records are pre-printed forms filled in by hand or typewritten. Some of the certificates are handwritten entries recorded in registers. The time period covered by this collection includes the years 1855 to 2008.

County officials began recording marriages in 1853 or soon after the counties were organized. Information was filled in by the minister, priest, or official performing the marriage ceremony and then returned to the county auditor of the county in which the marriage took place. Statewide registration of marriages began in 1968.

Marriage records legalize marital relationships and validate a wife’s legal claim to property.

County marriage records are considered a reliable source in family history research because they contain a record of an event usually registered very near the time the event occurred. The reliability, of course, depends on the accuracy of the informant.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Index and Image Visibility

FamilySearch provides images and indexes subject to contractual limitations and changes. Access to images and indexes may vary. Some collections may only have partial indexes without images. See Restrictions for Viewing Images for details.

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008.

What Can These Records tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

  • Date and place of marriage
  • Names, ages and races of bride and groom
  • Residences and occupation of bride and groom
  • Number of groom's marriages
  • Number of bride's marriages
  • Birthplaces of bride and groom
  • Names of bride and groom's parents
  • Maiden names of bride and groom's mothers
  • Names of witnesses
  • Name of person performing the marriage

Collection Content

Sample Image

  • 1917 Marriage Record

    1917 Marriage Record

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • Name of the person
  • The location or date of the event

Search the Index

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Enter the information in the fields in the Search Collection section or click More Options to see additional fields
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images

View images in this collection by visiting the Collection Browse Page:
  1. Select County
  2. Select Record type, volumes and year range to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?

Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?

I Found the Person I was Looking for, What Now?

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

  • If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
  • Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
  • Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well

Research Helps

The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Washington.

Other FamilySearch Collections

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Digital Library

Citing This Collection

Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.
Image Citation:
When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.
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