San Juan County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to San Juan 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 San Juan Islands, which are in turn named for Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo, the Viceroy of New Spain. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
San Juan County Courthouse 350 Court Street Friday Harbor, WA 98250-1249 Phone: 360–378–4017 San Juan County Website

County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. County Auditor has birth records 1892-1907, death records 1890-1907 and marriage records from 1878.

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:

History Timeline

 * For generations, the San Juans, neighboring islands, and portions of Vancouver Island, were home to peoples identified as Northern Straits Salish.
 * 1850 The British-owned Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) establish the first non-Indian presence on the San Juan islands.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1858-1859 The first real American challenge to the Hudson's Bay Company came when a handful of frustrated miners returning from the short-lived Fraser River gold rush settled on San Juan Island.
 * 1871-1872 Several Spanish expeditions under the general command of Captain Francisco Eliza mapped the San Juans.
 * 1872 The San Juan islands become an undisputed part of the United States following the "Pig War" boundary dispute with Great Britain.
 * 1873 October 31, San Juan County was established.
 * 1910-1960' Population, which had reached 3,600 by 1910, remained stagnant, actually declining to 2,872 in 1960.

Census Records

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1885, 1887,1889


 * 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
 * San Juan 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
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 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

Local Histories
Oldham, Kit. San Juan County -- Thumbnail History online at History Link.org Essay 7505.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

World War I

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Louis Jacobin, comp. With the colors, from Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan Counties : an honor roll containing a pictorial record of the gallant and courageous men from northwestern Washington, U.S.A., who served in the world war, 1917-1918-1919.Seattle, Washington : Peters Pub. Co, 1921

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes: Certificates of naturalization 1904-1918; Declarations of intention 1890-1957; Final decree of citizenship 1893-1900; Miscellaneous naturalization records 1871-1945; Petition and record 1892-1929; Reports of naturalization petitions granted/denied 1930-1960.


 * 1871-1960 Naturalization Records, 1871-1960 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

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

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1853-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

School Records

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1904-1951 Eighth grade graduates 1904-1951 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * 1879-1972 School census records 1879-1972 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

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

 * 1852-1963 Washington, Births at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * 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
 * 1891-1907 San Juan County Auditor, Birth Registers, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 County Marriages,1855-2008 at Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1864-1939 Marriage Records, 1864-1939 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection; Includes Index to Certificates 1874-1914 Vol 2; Certificates 1874-1914; License Applications Receipts 1923-1948; Records 1926-1971.
 * 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
 * 1891-1907 San Juan County Auditor, Death Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and 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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bellingham Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Oak Harbor Washington FamilySearch Center
 * San Juan Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries
Resources for San Juan County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.
 * Orcas Island Library 500 Rose Street Eastsound, WA 98245 Phone: 360-376-4985 Website
 * San Juan Island Library 1010 Guard Street Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Phone: 360-378-2798 Website
 * Lopez Island Library 2225 Fisherman Bay Rd Lopez Island, WA 98261 Phone: 360-468-2265 Website

Museums

 * San Juan Historical Museum PO Box 441 323 & 405 Price Street Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Phone: 360.378.3949 Website

Societies

 * San Juan Historical Society 405 Price Street Friday Harbor, Washington, 98250 360-378-3949 Website

Websites

 * San Juan County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 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.