Washington, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

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.

What Can These Records tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

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

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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other county or Washington Vital Records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Search for death or burial information in Washington Cemeteries and Washington Newspapers
 * Use the information found in the record to find Washington Land and Property records
 * Use the information found in the record to find Washington Probate Records
 * Use the information found in the record to find Washington Emigration and Immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in the Washington Census records. Witnesses were usually family members
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

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.
 * Washington Guided Research
 * Washington Record Finder
 * Washington Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1907 &#124; 1907-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Clallam County, Marriage records, 1878-2008
 * Island County, Marriage records, 1858-2007
 * King County, Marriage records, 1855-1946; index, 1889-1946, 1889-1946
 * Kitsap County, Marriage records, 1860-1986
 * Lewis County, Marriage records, 1847-1991
 * Pacific County, Marriage records, 1857-1947
 * Pierce County, Marriage records, 1889-2002; index, 1860-1950
 * San Juan County, Marriage records, 1874-1971
 * Skagit County, Birth, marriage, death, deed records, 1891-1898
 * Skagit County, Marriage records, 1884-2006
 * Snohomish County, Marriage records, 1866-1985
 * Thurston County, Marriage records, 1853-2013
 * Wahkiakum County, Marriage records, 1868-1939
 * Whatcom County, Marriage and miscellaneous business licenses, 1879-1917
 * Whatcom County, Marriage and probate records, 1869-1877
 * Whatcom County, Marriage records, 1877-2001

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Washington Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration. Guide to public vital statistics records in Washington. Seattle, Washington :, 1941

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.