Whatcom County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Whatcom 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 Lummi word Xwotʼqom, meaning "noisy water." The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Whatcom County Courthouse 311 Grand Avenue Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360-778-5400 Whatcom County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907, marriage records from 1869 and land records. County Clerk has divorce, probate 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:

History Timeline

 * In historic times there were three tribal groups in the county: the Lummi, Nooksack, and Semiahmoo.
 * 1791 Spanish explorer Manuel Quimper sent a sloop into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca and "discovered" Mount Baker.
 * 1827 The Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Langley north of modern day Lynden.
 * 1853 Edward Eldridge arrived in Whatcom from California to work at the mill, bringing sawmill machinery.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1854 Settlers filed claims on the south end of the bay, setting the future site of Fairhaven, one of four towns that would develop on the shoreline.
 * 1854 March 9, Whatcom County was established by the Washington territorial government from a portion of Island County.
 * 1857-1858 Survey work began on the international boundary at the 49th parallel.
 * 1859 John Tennant and his Lummi wife Clara filed the first official claim on the Nooksack River.
 * 1881 The "Washington Colony," a group of utopian Kansans, re-established the mill at Whatcom Creek.
 * 1899 Whatcom County boomed when the Pacific American Fisheries (PAC) organized in Fairhaven.

Biographies
History of Whatcom County, WorldCat: Author: Lottie Roeder Roth, Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1926. Brief biographies of well-known citizens of the era of publication, as well as history of the early years of the community.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 2017-2023 Whatcom County Auditor, Professional License Records, 2017-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Cemeteries

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Lot and burial record 1884-1959; Lot purchase record 1887-1904; Woodlawn Cemetery burial list 1886-2007.


 * Map of Whatcom County cemeteries (PDF)
 * Bayview Cemetery

Census Records

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes School census index 1890-1932; School census records 1885-1933.


 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1871,1885,1889


 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)

Church Records

 * Records From Some Early Bellingham Churches

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

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
 * Whatcom 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.

Directories

 * Earliest Directories for Fairhaven, Bellingham, Whatcom and New Whatcom/Sehome
 * 1905-1906 Bellingham / Whatcom Directory (28,300K PDF)
 * 1915 Bellingham / Whatcom Directory (44,200K PDF)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 2016-2023 Whatcom County Auditor, Recorded Land Records at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 2017-2023 Whatcom County Auditor, Plats and Surveys, 2017-2023 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Local Histories
Edition/Format:
 * "Whatcom County, Washington Facts" at StateOfUS.com (it is mis-labeled as Whatcom County, Alabama)
 * "History of Whatcom County", Author: Lottie Roeder Roth, Publisher:Chicago : Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1926. There are a few versions of this work beginning in 1926, with later works adding an index and microform format available.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * Some Whatcom County Military Records Mostly Civil War related

Indian Wars
 * 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

World War I
 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Louis Jacobin, comp. With the colors, from Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan Counties : an honor roll containing a pictorial record of the gallant and courageous men from northwestern Washington, U.S.A., who served in the world war, 1917-1918-1919.Seattle, Washington : Peters Pub. Co, 1921

World War II

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1872-1988 Whatcom County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1872-1988 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Newspapers

 * Extractions From Old Whatcom County Newspapers
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library
 * Whatcom County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Obituaries

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Other Records
Public Records
 * Whatcom County recorded documents online
 * 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

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes School census index 1890-1932; School census records 1885-1933.


 * 1885-1932 Whatcom County Historical School Districts, Registers and Censuses, 1885-1932 at Washington State Archives - index and images

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 registers 1891-1907; Birth returns 1891-1907; Births (delayed) 1871-1907.
 * 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
 * 1889-1907 Whatcom County Birth Records, 1889-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1904-1915 Bellingham City Clerk, Register of Births, 1904-1915 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Includes Index to Certificates 1870-1984; Affidavits 1883-1939; Marriage and Miscellaneous Business Licenses 1879-1917; Applications and Affidavits, Probate Bonds 1869-1877; Certificates 1890-1928; License Applications 1890-2011; Licenses 1900-1971; Returns 1891-1947.
 * 1891-2022 Whatcom County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1891-2022 with images, at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 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 Whatcom County Death Records at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1904-1915 Bellingham City Clerk, Register of Deaths, 1904-1915 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
 * 1935-1971 Lynden City Clerk (Whatcom County), Burial Transit Permits 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

Research Facilities

 * Whatcom Genealogical Society

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bellingham Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Vernon Washington FamilySearch Center
 * San Juan Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

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


 * Bellingham Public Library  Website
 * Branches, locations and hours Website
 * Whatcom County Library System Website
 * Branches, locations, and hours Website

Societies
Whatcom Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1493 Bellingham, WA 98227-1493 Website Facebook

Websites

 * WAGenWeb Whatcom County
 * USGW Archives
 * 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.