Klickitat County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Klickitat County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for the Klickitat tribe of the Yakama Native Americans. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Klickitat County Courthouse 205 S Columbus Avenue Room 204 Goldendale, WA 98620 Phone: 413-459-4580 Klickitat County Website

County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. County Auditor has marriage records.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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 Paula Becker. Klickitat County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7800.
 * The area was once home to the Klickitat and Wishram tribes, both of which ceded the land to the U.S. government
 * 1852 The earliest non-Indian settlement in Klickitat County was the Erastus S. Joslyn farm near present-day White Salmon.
 * 1850s Many early settlers to the future Klickitat County came east from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
 * 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1859 December 20 The County of Clickitat (after 1869 spelled Klickitat) was formally organized.
 * Early settlers raised Durham and Shorthorn cattle, selling large herds to supply miners in Idaho and British Columbia.
 * 1870 The Klickitat Valley's first fruit orchards were planted.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1860, 1870, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
 * State-funded: 1892


 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Klickitat Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
 * The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of 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.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indian The Yakama Indian Reservation is located primarily in Yakima County, with a small portion in Klickitat County.
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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

Genealogies

 * Klickitat County Washington Genealogy (WAGenWeb)
 * Klickitat County, Washington Public Records (RecordsPedia)
 * 1892 Klickitat County Census (Washington State Archives)

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1984-2012 Land Records, 1984-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.
 * 1988-2013 Recorded Agreements and Contracts, 1988-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.

Local Histories
A county history summary is available at http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&amp;file_id=7800
 * "1885 Klickitat County" online
 * "1889 Klickitat County" online
 * "Klickitat County, Washington Facts" online (mislabeled as Alabama)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
World War I
 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Some military records for this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. (*Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.)
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Declarations of intention 1889-1945; Naturalization index 1911-1945;Orders of the court (admitting the petitioner or denying the petition) 1913-1927; 1932-1945;Petition evidence 1907-1929; Petitions for naturalization 1893-1946; Special naturalizations 1894-1905.
 * 1889-1961 Naturalization Records, 1889-1961 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.

Newspapers

 * Klickitat County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Other Records
Public Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Voting Records
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes School census 1924-1925; School census and examination records 1916-1927.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1867-After Western States Marriage Index
 * 1867-2013 Marriage Records, 1867-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.
 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Family History Centers

 * The Dalles Oregon Family History Center
 * Goldendale Washington Family History Center
 * Hood River Oregon Family History Center
 * Prosser Washington Family History Center
 * Sunnyside Washington Family History Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

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

Libraries Ellensburg Public Library 209 North Ruby Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-962-7252 Website Kittitas Public Library 2nd Pierce Sts Kittitas WA 98934 Phone: 509-968-0226 Website Roslyn Public Library 201 S. First St. Roslyn WA 98941 Phone: 509-649-3420 Website Goldendale Community Library 131 West Burgen Goldendale WA 98620 Phone: 509-773-4487 Website White Salmon Valley Community Library 5 Town Country Square White Salmon WA 98672 Phone: 509-493-1132 Website

Museums
Presby Museum and Klicktat County Historical Society 127 W. Broadway Goldendale, WA 98620 Phone: 509-773-4303 E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety presbymuseum@gorge.net] Website

Societies
Klickitat County Historical Society 127 W. Broadway Goldendale, WA 98620 509-773-4303 Website Facebook

Websites

 * Klickitat County Genealogy Research. Free Contains information for researching genealogy in Klickitat County WA, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * WAGenWeb Klicikitat County
 * USGenWeb
 * Washington State Digital Archives


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.