Clallam County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Clallam County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1854, when the county was formed.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for a Klallam word for "the strong people". The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

Parent County(s)
was created 26 April 1854 from Jefferson County

Boundary Changes
29 January 1868, Quillehute County was created, but it reverted back to Clallam and Jefferson counties in 1870. Records created in both counties.


 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

For animated maps illustrating Washington County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Washington County Boundary Maps" (1843-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by: Jefferson County Seat: Port Angeles. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Courthouse
Clallam County Courthouse 223 E 4th Street PO Box 863 Port Angeles, WA 98362-3025 Phone: 360.417.2508 County Auditor has marriage and land records. County Clerk has probate records.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Business and Commerce

 * Professional License Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Cemeteries


Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1857 • 1870 • 1871 • 1883 • 1885 •  1887 • 1889
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Clallam Frontier Justice Part of "Frontier Justice": Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1888 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
 * The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of the 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

American Indians

 * 1911 - 1919 - at FamilySearch — images

Japanese

 * World War II Files, 1942-1946. Public Welfare/Social Security Department, (Japanese Internment) Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 from the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives.

Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

History

 * "Clallam County -- Thumbnail History" essay on historylink.org

History Timeline
Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Kit Oldham. Clallam County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 7576.


 * 1803 - Before this time, the county was composed of the traditional lands of the (for whom it is named),, and.
 * 1700s - It was one of the first parts of Washington contacted by European explorers.
 * 1850 - The first permanent settlers came to the county.
 * 1850s - The explorers brought European diseases that devastated Klallam, Makah, and Quileute populations, as they did all Northwest peoples.
 * 1851 - The first settlers in the future Clallam County staked claims at New Dungeness.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1854 - April 26, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Clallam County.
 * 1857 - Henry R. Webster and others succeeded in establishing a trading post at Neah Bay.
 * 1878, Luther and Esther Ford and their children settled 15 miles inland from La Push on the fertile open ground known as Indian Prairie.
 * 1889 - November 11, President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) created the Quiluete Reservation at La Push by executive order.

Land and Property

 * County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps. This office has county plat records dating back to 1878, prior records having been destroyed in a fire.
 * Land Records 1987 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Plats and Surveys 1987 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1987-present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places



Military

 * at FamilySearch — index
 * World War II enlistments at the National Archives. Select search parameters for state and county. These lists are partial. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."

Newspapers

 * Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

Obituaries

 * North Olympic Library System online Newspaper Index

Probate Records

 * Part of Washington County Probate Records, 1853-1929 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Public Records

 * Clallam Postmaster Index. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)


 * Power of Attorney Records 1987 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Birth
The names were taken from the Clallam County Register of Births.


 * Birth Returns, 1890-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)


 * — index and images


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1855–2008 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1963-2012 - Marriage certificates, 1963-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index


 * 1855-2008 - at Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Applications 1946-2007; Certificates 1907-2007; Certificates and Applications 2007-2008; Certificates and Returns 1891-1955; Licenses 1914-1951; Records 1865-1939; Record Book 1889-1935; Returns 1905-1934; License Records 1887-1894.

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1969 - 2014 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Death Returns, 1891-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)


 * Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

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


 * Check websites and catalogs, such as items in (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for.

Family History Centers

 * Forks Washington Family History Center
 * Port Angeles Washington Family History Center

Libraries

 * North Central Regional Library System
 * Branches, Locations and offerings
 * Genealogy and Data Base Tools Heritage Quest -- location at bottom of page
 * Special or Unique Collections: Public Records and Newspaper Obituary Index.



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: