Pierce County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Pierce County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1852, when the county was formed.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the U.S. President Franklin Pierce. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

Parent County(s)
Pierce County, Washington was created 22 December 1852 from Thurston.

County Seat: Tacoma. See also Towns and Communities in. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse
Pierce County Courthouse 930 Tacoma Ave South Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: 253.798.7455 Pierce County Website County Auditor has marriage and land records. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1890 and adoption 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

 * Tacoma Mausoleum

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1854 • 1857 •  1871 • 1879 •  1883  •  1885  •  1887 • 1889
 * State-funded: 1892
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Lincoln (Tacoma)
 * Tacoma
 * Tacoma Central

Lutheran

 * Records of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Tacoma, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Correctional Institutions

 * McNeil Island, Washington, U.S. Penitentiary, Photos and Records of Prisoners Received, 1875-1939 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Court Records

 * Power of Attorney Records 1984 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * Pierce 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.

Directories

 * Tacoma, Washington Directories, 1889-91 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Emigration and Immigration

 * Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

American Indian

 * 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

Maps and Gazetteers

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

History

 * Commemorative celebration at Sequalitchew Lake, Pierce County, Washington, July 5th, 1906 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)


 * "History - Local" at Pierce County Library


 * History of the Puget Sound Country, Volume 1, Volume 2 by William Farrand Prosser [New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1903]


 * Three Cities Of Washington; Origin Of Their Names... by Edmond Stephen Meany [Seattle: Washington University State Historical Society, 1917?] at Washington History covers the origins of the city names Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma

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. Pierce County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 8001.


 * The land that would become Pierce County was home to the present day Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin, Steilacoom, and Muckleshoot tribes.
 * 1833 April - Hudson's Bay Company employee Archibald McDonald established Fort Nisqually.
 * 1841 May 11 - The crews of the U.S. Navy ships Vincennes and Porpoise, dropped anchor near Fort Nisqually during the first American charting of Puget Sound.
 * 1849 - In response to increasing tensions between Indians and settlers, the United States Army established Fort Steilacoom.
 * 1852 December 22 - Pierce County was established.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1854 December 26 - Leaders of major Western Washington tribes, met with Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and signed a treaty relinquishing their land.
 * 1855 April 30 - The United States Congress ratified the Treaty of Medicine Creek.
 * Family farming was essential to the survival of early Pierce County pioneers.
 * Commercial farming in Pierce County has over time included hops, flower bulbs, berries, dairy cattle, and Christmas trees.

Land and Property

 * Land Records, 1883-1919 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Deeds, 1883-1919 (vols 107-398); Patents, 1886-1901 (vol 192)


 * Land Records 1859-1935 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Deeds 1883-1931 (vols 107-524); Direct index to mortgages 1859-1895; General index grantors 1859-1935; General index grantees 1888-1889; Patents 1886-1901; Reverse index to mortgages 1859-1895.


 * Land Records 1984 - 2009 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Plats and Surveys Records 1980 present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1984 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Military

 * 1921-1925 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Military Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1850-1982 County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982. at Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Included in the collection: Certificate of citizenship 1889-1906; Declaration of intention 1884-1924; Index to declarations and final decrees of citizenship 1854-1906; Index 1854-1911 vol 3; Petitions 1906-1912.
 * 1853-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

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


 * The News Tribune (Tacoma) News Tribune archives
 * Puyallup Herald (formerly Pierce County Herald)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Obituaries

 * Tacoma Obituary Index at Tacoma Public Library contains more than 350,000 entries. File is complete from 1984 to the present day.
 * Web: Tacoma, Washington, Obituary Index, 1939-2010

Also check:


 * Newspapers of
 * Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
 * Obituaries of neighboring counties

Public Records

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

School Records

 * Tacoma School Records Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes: Tacoma District school registers 1895-1896; Tacoma school register 1888-1889.

Taxation

 * Assessment Rolls part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Assessment Rolls, 1881-1885; Duplicate assessment rolls, 1877, 1884-1886; Original assessment rolls, 1886; Property assessment and tax rolls, 1859-1869

Birth

 * — index and images


 * Birth Returns, 1891-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)


 * Pierce County Birth Records at Archives.com ($) 127 entries.

Marriage

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


 * 1876-2013 - Marriage Records, 1876-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)


 * 1885-1959 - Marriage Returns, 1885-1959. Part of: Washington, Pierce County Marriage Returns, 1891-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images) 


 * See what genealogical content may be in these records.
 * Includes marriage certificate information, dates, names, and witlessness.


 * 1891-1938 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
 * Pierce County Death Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)


 * at FamilySearch 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

 * Auburn Washington Family History Center
 * Federal Way Washington Family History Center
 * Kent Washington Family History Center
 * Maple Valley Washington Family History Center
 * South Hill Washington Family History Center
 * Sumner Washington Family History Center
 * Tacoma Washington Family History Center


 * Heritage Quest Research Library - an affiliate library
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Tacoma Public Library 1102 Tacoma Ave S Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: 253-591-5606 Website
 * Branch locations and hours


 * Pierce County Library System 3005 112th Street E Tacoma, WA 98446-2215 Phone: 253-548-3300
 * Branch locations and hours


 * Puyallup Public Library 324 S Meridian Puyallup, WA 98371 Phone: 253- 841-5454 Website

Museums

 * Tacoma Art Museum
 * LeMay Family Collection at Marymount Event Center
 * Buffalo Soldier's Museum
 * Children's Museum of Tacoma
 * Museum of Glass
 * Foss Waterway Seaport
 * LeMay America's Car Museum

Societies
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society PO Box 1952 Tacoma, Washington 98401 Website Facebook

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

Military Bases
{|
 * Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Fort Lewis, McChord Field)