Franklin County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Franklin 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 Benjamin Franklin. The County is located in the southcentral area of the state.

Pasco, the Franklin County seat and largest population of Franklin County, is part of the Tri-City metropolitan area, and is just across the Columbia River from Kennewick and Richland (Benton County), and across the Snake River from Burbank (Walla Walla County). From the beginning, residents from each of these communities have crossed the rivers to go to church, get married, visit the hospitals, and bury their deceased. Records for Franklin County residents could be in Benton or Walla Walla Counties.

Residents of northern Franklin County may be found in records of Adams County. The northern part of the county has always been more rural with a lower population. They often travel to Connell for various services, but occasionally travel to Pasco (or the Tri-Cities) for larger purchases and business. They may also be found in Walla Walla and Benton county records.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 1016 N. 4th Ave Pasco, WA 99301 Phone: 509-545-3593 Franklin County Website

Franklin County Auditor has birth, death and burial records 1891-1910, marriage records from 1891; land records. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1891.

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
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Elizabeth Gibson. Franklin County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7452.
 * Before white settlers came to the area now known as Franklin County, the region’s Native Americans fished for salmon.
 * 1805 arrived at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers.
 * 1805plus a few years - David Thompson, of the, arrived here and claimed the land for Great Britain.
 * 1850s After the end of the Indian Wars of the 1850s, settlers felt it was safe to move into the Columbia Basin.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1879 Travelers began settling near the site of modern-day Pasco.
 * 1883-November 28 The Washington Territorial Legislature created Franklin county.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1885, and 1887


 * 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
 * 1901-Present Franklin County Superior Court Case Files at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * Power of Attorney Records 1989-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Franklin Frontier Justice Part of "Frontier Justice": Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1888 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
 * The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of the 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

 * "Benton, Franklin and Klickitat Counties Directory – 1911-1912, 1915-1916"

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indian
 * 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

Funeral Homes
Note: Pasco, the Franklin County seat and largest population of Franklin County, is part of the Tri-City metropolitan area, and is just across the bridge from Kennewick and Richland (Benton County), as well as Burbank (Walla Walla County). Residence of Franklin County often used funeral services and cemeteries in these other communities.
 * Columbia Memorial Funeral Chapel and Gardens
 * Mueller's Greenlee Funeral Home
 * Hillcrest Funerals and Cremations

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1884-2023 Franklin County Auditor, Plats and Surveys, 1884-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1989-2023 Franklin County Auditor, Recorded Land Records, 1989-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1989-2023 Franklin County Auditor, Recorded Agreements and Contracts, 1989-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Local Histories

 * Franklin County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Franklin County, Alabama)
 * Illustrated history of the Big Bend country by Western Historical Publishing Company [(Spokane, Wash.) Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] at Washington History

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * Some military records for this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Declarations of intention, petition evidence 1874-1945; Naturalization cards 1907-1945; Petitions for naturalization 1907-1929; Petition evidence 1907-1929, Petitions for naturalization 1907-1929.


 * Naturalization Records, 1874-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

 * Franklin County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * Tri City Herald (Pasco, Washington)
 * 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

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
 * 1891-1919 Franklin County Auditor, Birth Records, 1891-1919 at Washington State Archives - index and 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
 * 1889-2023 Franklin County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1889-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1892-1906 Marriages from 25 Aug 1892 to 24 Oct 1906 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website.
 * Includes Marriage certificates 1890-2003 and Marriage license applications 1939-2003.


 * 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

 * 1879-1910 Franklin County Auditor, Death Records, 1879-1910 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Basin City Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Columbia Basin Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Kennewick Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Pasco Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Prosser Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Richland Washington FamilySearch Center
 * West Richland Washington FamilySearch Center

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

Libraries
 * Mid-Columbia Libraries Website
 * Branches (additional branches shown at above website):


 * Basin City Library 50-A N. Canal Blvd. Basin City, WA 99343 Phone: 509-269-4201
 * Connell Library 118 N. Columbia Connell, WA 99326 Phone: 509-234-4971
 * Merrills Corner Library 5240 Eltopia West Eltopia, WA 99330 Phone: 509-297-4341
 * Kahlotus Library 255 Weston Kahlotus, WA 99335 Phone: 509-282-3493
 * Pasco Library 1320 W. Hopkins Pasco, WA 99301 Phone: 509-545-1019

Museums
Franklin County Historical Society and Museum has an extensive collection of records, artifacts, and collected stories for Franklin County historical places and people.Website
 * The Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology (CREHST) is a museum and science center created to tell the dynamic story of the Columbia Basin and surrounding region." It features an excellent exhibit and materials available on the Hanford project and the huge influx of people to support it starting in the 1940's and continuing through today. Two collections of interest specifically to genealogists are their photos collections and their collection of General Electric Company newsletters. Both these collections contain information on residents of Franklin County.

Societies
Tri-City Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1410 Richland, WA 99352-1410 Website
 * The Tri-City Genealogical Society has an extensive collection of local and regional resources as well as references for other areas. Check their resources page for an updated list of their holdings. They also provide genealogical help at the Mid-Columbia Library, have online resources, and conduct local research for a small fee.

Websites

 * Franklin County WAGenWeb
 * Tri-City Genealogical Society (TCGS) has online data for Benton and Franklin Counties.
 * 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.