Washington County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
Washington County was named for George Washington. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Record Section, Assessment &amp; Taxation has marriage, land and military records from 1850. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records from 1896, probate records from 1871 and naturalization records from 1906.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Quick Facts
3 September 1849: Washington county was renamed from Twality County. Named for, the first president of the United States.

Boundary Changes
16 January 1854: Columbia County set off.

22 December 1854: Multnomah County set off.

For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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:

Defunct Post Offices

 * Albion: Albion post office was in service on the extreme north border of the county from March 17, 1902 to Dec. 31, 1908. It was about due south of Vernonia. George M. Holt was the only postmaster. George M. Holt came from Albion, Illinois and he named the office for his old home in the Midwest.

Neighboring Counties
Clackamas | Clatsop | Columbia | Multnomah | Tillamook | Yamhill

Trivia Tidbits
Information about localities, too small or too brief to describe in separate pages. Exception to this are Post Offices. &gt; Trivia Tidbits

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

Census

 * 1845 Territorial Transcription and Index (under name of Tuality, Twalatain and Twality County)
 * 1849 Territorial Transcription and Index (under name of Twality County)
 * 1850 Territorial Transcription and Index
 * 1853 Territorial Transcription and Index
 * 1856 Territorial Transcription and Index

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.

Gazetteers

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

Maps

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

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Oregon Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Historic Oregon Newspapers as a division of the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program has digitized more than 644,000 pages of newspapers throughout Oregon. Dates range from 1846-1922 with selected issues continuing through 1973.

Of particular interest to Washington county researchers:

The Banner-Courier (Beaverton) The Owl (Beaverton) The Argus (Hilsboro) The Hilsboro Argus (Hilsboro) Hilsboro Independent (Hilsboro) Washington County Independent (Hilsboro)

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1833–1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

Rivers and Waterways
Details about the rivers and waterways where farms and settlements are often found along them. &gt; Rivers and Waterways

Vital Records
The FamilySearch Library has copies of some records such as:

Washington County coroner's inquest records 1854-1889

See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Birth Records

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (*); Also at: Ancestry
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Delayed Birth Certificates

Marriage Records

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1842-1917 Oregon, U.S., State Births, 1842-1917 at Ancestry - index and images ($); Also at: 
 * 1849-1884; 1991-2006 at FamilySearch — index and images; collection is incomplete.
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Extractions of early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Washington County Historical Society Five Oaks Musumn 17677 NW Springville Rd Portland, OR 97229 Phone: 503-645-5353 Website Facebook

Washington County Heritage Online Website

Beaverton Historical Society and History Center 12490 S W First Suite 300 Beaverton, OR 97005 Phone: 503-430-0160 Website Facebook

Washington County Library Services 155 N 1st Ave Hillsboro, OR 97124 Phone: 503-846-8685 Website Facebook

Family History Centers

 * Beaverton Oregon Family History Center
 * Hillsboro Oregon Family History Center
 * Portland Oregon Family History Center
 * Tualatin Oregon Family History Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library
 * Hillsboro Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Lake Oswego Public Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Washington County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Washington County GenWeb Project, part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives