Washington, Western District, Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of naturalization records and indexes of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, 1853-1957 for Seattle and Tacoma. These records correspond to NARA publication M1542 and is part of Record Group 21 Records of the District Courts of the United States.


 * Seattle, rolls, 1-121
 * Tacoma, rolls 121-153

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Records may contain the any of the following:

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Record Type, Year Range, and Volume Number or Letter to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information to find other records such as emigrations, port records, ship’s manifests, birth, christening, census, and land records
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the information to find additional family members

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Record Finder
Consult the Washington Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:

"Washington, Western District, Naturalization Records, 1853-1957." Database and Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 31 January 2018. Citing NARA microfilm publication M1542. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Top of Page