Snohomish County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Snohomish 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 the Snohomish tribe. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Snohomish County Courthouse 3000 Rockefeller Ave Everett, WA 98201 Phone: 425-388-3331 Snohomish County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records, 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1891. County clerk has divorce, probate records and court records.

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

 * The Snohomish Tribe comprised the largest Native American population in this county area.
 * 1792 June 4, British Captain George Vancouver landed on the beach south of Hebolb, claiming the Puget Sound region for King George III.
 * 1853 The Tulalip Bay settlement has been described as the birthplace of Snohomish County.
 * 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1855-January 22 Governor Isaac Stevens and 81 tribal leaders met at Point Elliott (now Mukilteo) to sign a treaty between regional tribes and the U.S. government.
 * 1861-January 14 As the population grew, local settlers petitioned the territorial legislature to develop a separate county, and Snohomish County, originally part of Island County, was formed
 * 1860s-1870s Rich farmland and easy water access attracted homesteaders, and settlements also began at Lowell, Monroe, Stanwood, and Edmonds.
 * 1889 Snohomish County grew, as did all the Pacific Northwest, with the arrival of the railroad.
 * 1889-July 4 Joseph Pearsall struck gold and staked a claim at Monte Cristo. This drew prospectors to the area and helped solidify plans for the development of an industrial city at Port Gardner Bay.
 * 1914-1918 World War I dashed the hopes of radicals, and Snohomish County solidly backed the war effort. The predominant economy now was lumbering,

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Professional License Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1871,1883,1885,1887,1889.


 * 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
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Everett

Lutheran Snohomish County
 * Records of the Lutheran Church, Snohomish County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Swans Trail Lutheran Church, Everett
 * Records of Swans Trail Lutheran Church, Everett, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

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
 * 1950-2022 Snohomish County Superior Court Case Files at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * Power of Attorney Records 1976 - 1999 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Snohomish 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 Indians
 * 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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1871-2008 Snohomish County Auditor, Recorded Land Records, 1871-2008 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1976-1999 Snohomish County Auditor, Recorded Agreements and Contracts, 1976-1999 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Local Histories

 * "Snohomish County History" at Snohomish.wa.us
 * 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Military Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

World War I

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1876-1974 Naturalization Records, 1876-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Affidavits for issuing new naturalization certificates 1918-1919; Certificates of citizenship 1890-1903; Certificates of naturalization 1907-1926; Citizenship petitions granted/denied 1929-1945; Citizenship record 1903-1906; Declarations of intention 1890-1973; Index to declarations and petitions for naturalization 1913-1963; Miscellaneous letters 1907-1910; Monthly report of naturalization papers forwarded 1943; Naturalization depositions 1908-1945; Naturalization record index 1928-1945; Overseas naturalization petition 1956; Petition and record 1906-1974; Transferred naturalization petitions 1953-1973.

Newspapers

 * Arlington Times - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1945-2009
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library
 * Snohomish County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

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 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Birth register index 1891-1907; Birth registers 1891-1907; Birth returns 1891-1906.
 * 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
 * 1891-1907 Snohomish County Auditor, Birth Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1855-2008  at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1867-2008 Marriage Records, 1867-2008 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.
 * 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

 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1891-1907 Snohomish 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

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

 * Camano Island-Stanwood Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Everett Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Lake Stevens Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Port Townsend Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Poulsbo Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Seattle Washington Shoreline FamilySearch Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library
 * Snohomish Washington Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

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


 * Everett Public Library 2702 Hoyt Avenue Everett, WA 98201 Phone: 425-257-8000 Website

Societies

 * League of Snohomish County Heritage Organizations Email: [mailto:Info@snocoheritage.org Info@snocoheritage.org] Website
 * Sno-Isle Genealogical Society 19827 Poplar Way Lynnwood, WA 98036 (425) 775-6267 Website

Websites

 * WAGenWeb Snohomish County
 * Snohomish County WA Genealogy Research
 * USGW Archives
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb - Snohomish WA


 * – 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.