Washington Probate Records

Washington Wiki Topics

Beginning Research

Guided Research Research Strategies Record Finder

Record Types

Adoption Bible Records Biography Cemeteries Census Church Records Correctional Institutions Court Records Crime and Punishment Directories Emigration & Immigration Genealogies Land & Property Military Records Naturalization & Citizenship Newspapers Obituaries Occupation & Business Records Online Collections Periodicals Probate Records Public Records Taxation Vital Records Voter Records

Washington Background

Biography Further Reading Gazetteers Historical Geography History Maps Migration

Cultural Groups

African Americans Indigenous Peoples Cultural Groups Swedish American

Local Research Resources

Archives & Libraries Societies Find a FamilySearch center

United States

U.S. Probate Records

Washington

Probate Records

Online Resources

• 1803-2010 U.S., Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Browsable records, incomplete for all counties.
• 1832-1950 U.S., Washington, County Probate Case Files, 1832-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1851-1970 U.S., Washington, Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry ($), index and images, incomplete.
• 1853-1929 U.S., Washington, County Probate Records, 1853-1929 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Images
• 1856-2009 U.S., Washington, County Records at Ancestry ($), images/no index.
• Full-Text Search - Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Probate Courts

In the territorial era, probate courts were established in each county to keep records of wills, bonds, orders, and the administrations of estates. When the superior courts succeeded the probate courts in 1891, all of the records of the clerks of the probate courts were transferred to the county clerk in each courthouse. Some probates were filed in the superior court.

The FamilySearch Library has acquired copies of probate records for a few counties in Washington. However, they are also available at the various county courthouses, or the county may have transferred early records to the Washington State Archives at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/.

Record Content

• 

  Probate Record Examples

• 

  Bequeath Statement or Will

• 

  Petition

• 

  Probate Publication Statement

• 

  Witness Statement

• 

  Witness Statement

• 

  Petition for Administratrix Page 1

• 

  Petition for Administratrix Page 2

• 

  Order of Appointment

CLICK LINKS TO SEE SAMPLE DOCUMENTS

LINKS	DEFINITIONS
WILL	written instructions by a person regarding settlement of his affairs after his death
INTESTATE	deceased without a will
PETITION FOR PROBATE OF WILL	request to the Court for administration of estate of deceased person
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION	person appointed by Court to direct distribution of estate; not specified in will
ADMINSTRATRIX	female administrator
EXECUTOR	administrator appointed in will
BOND OF ADMINSTRATOR	money assurance of validity
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION	declaration upon oath
INVENTORY AND APPRAISAL
LETTERS OF GUARDIANSHIP	Court given authority to care for another person

TYPES OF DOCUMENTS	name deceased	name administrator + relationship to deceased	heirs + relationships	names witnesses	death date + place	property of decease
WILL
PETITION FOR PROBATE
WITNESS' STATEMENTS
INVENTORY AND APPRAISAL
FINAL ACCOUNT + PETITION FOR DISTRIBUTION

References

Washington Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.

NOTE: All of the information from the original research outline has been imported into the FamilySearch Wiki and is being updated as time permits.