Jefferson County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Jefferson 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 Thomas Jefferson. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Jefferson County Courthouse 1820 Jefferson Street Port Townsend, WA 98368-0920 Phone: 360-385-9135 Jefferson County Website

County Clerk has divorce records from 1886, probate records from 1891 and court records from 1890. County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1853.

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 Daryl C. McClary. Jefferson County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7472.
 * For thousands of years the only occupants of the Olympic Peninsula were Coast Indians.
 * 1851-April 24 The first permanent American settlement on the peninsula was Port Townsend.
 * 1852-December 22 Jefferson County was created by the Oregon Territorial Legislature from a portion of Lewis County.
 * 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1800s mid, White settlers came to the north Olympic Peninsula, but the rugged interior remained unexplored.
 * 1889-1890 The great land boom was predicated on the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad, linking Port Townsend with the rest of the nation. Due to financial difficulties, the Union Pacific Railroad abandoned the project, causing the boom to collapse in 1891.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1910
 * Territorial: 1871, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, and 1889
 * State-funded: 1891


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

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
 * 1985-Present Jefferson County Superior Court Case Files at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * Jefferson 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 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Genealogies
Genealogy Resources
 * Genealogy and Family History Resources online at Washington Jefferson County Genealogical Society

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1881-2022 Jefferson County Auditor, Plats and Surveys, 1881-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1981-2022 Jefferson County Auditor, Recorded Land Records, 1981-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1982-2022 Jefferson County Auditor, Recorded Agreements and Contracts, 1982-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Local Histories

 * History of the Puget Sound Country, Volume 1, Volume 2 by William Farrand Prosser [New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1903] online at Washington History
 * Jefferson County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Jefferson County, Alabama)

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Indian Wars
 * 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

World War I
 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1852-1974 Jefferson County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1852-1974 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Newspapers

 * Jefferson 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
 * 1853-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

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
 * 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; Birth registers 1891-1907
 * 1891-1907 Jefferson County Auditor, Birth Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1872-2023 Jefferson County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1872-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 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

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1891-1907 Jefferson 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
 * 1968-1988, 2009-2010 Jefferson County Health Department, Burial Transit and Cremation Permits, 1968-1988, 2009-2010 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

 * Forks Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Port Angeles Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Port Townsend Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Poulsbo Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Silverdale Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Clallam County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Kitsap Regional Library - an affiliate library
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library
 * Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Resources for Jefferson County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.
 * Jefferson County Library 620 Cedar Avenue Port Hadlock, WA 98339 Phone: 360-385-6544 Website
 * Port Townsend Public Library 1220 Lawrence Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 Phone: 360-385-3181 Website

Societies
Jefferson County Historical Society 540 Water St Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360) 385-1003 Website Facebook Jefferson County Genealogical Society Mailing address: PO Box 627 Port Townsend, WA 98368-0627 Research Center (not a mailing address): 13692 Airport Cutoff Road (Highway 19) Port Townsend, WA 98368 Phone: 360-385-9495 Website Facebook

Websites

 * Jefferson County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * 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.