Washington County Divorce Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes digital images of divorce records from the civil courts in the following counties:


 * Clark
 * Cowlitz
 * Grays Harbor
 * Lewis
 * Mason
 * Pacific
 * Thurston
 * Wahkiakum

The records are arranged by year and then in boxed files, alphabetically by name.

For a list of records by localities and surname currently published in this collection, select the Browselink from the collection landing page.

Record Content
These records contain the following information:


 * Names of interested parties
 * Divorce date
 * Name of court
 * County of court
 * Conditions of the divorce decree

In addition the records may also contain:


 * Ages or calculated birth year of husband and wife
 * Names of minor children
 * Names of other relatives
 * Court costs

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name
 * Divorce date
 * Divorce place

Search the Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "County" ⇒Select the "Case File Number Range" which takes you to the images

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as age, or wife's maiden name. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for another index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites

 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Washington State Library

Related Wiki Articles
Washington Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
Citations for individual image records are available for this collection. Browse through images in this collection and click on the "Show Citation" box: Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.