Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008
Images and partial index of marriage records from Washington counties. The index includes marriage records for Clallam, Lewis, Pacific, Snohomish, Thurston, and Wahkiakum Counties. Images for both indexed and non-indexed counties are available in the browse. Additional records from other counties will be added to this collection as they become available.
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Washington, County Marriages
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Washington,_County_Marriages_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records
What is in This Collection?
This collection contains marriage returns, certificates and a few affidavits depending on the county. Most of the records are pre-printed forms filled in by hand or typewritten. Some of the certificates are handwritten entries recorded in registers. The time period covered by this collection includes the years 1855 to 2008.
County officials began recording marriages in 1853 or soon after the counties were organized. Information was filled in by the minister, priest, or official performing the marriage ceremony and then returned to the county auditor of the county in which the marriage took place. Statewide registration of marriages began in 1968.
Marriage records legalize marital relationships and validate a wife’s legal claim to property.
County marriage records are considered a reliable source in family history research because they contain a record of an event usually registered very near the time the event occurred. The reliability, of course, depends on the accuracy of the informant.
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
To Browse This Collection
| You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008. |
What Can These Records tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Date and place of marriage
- Names, ages and races of bride and groom
- Residences and occupation of bride and groom
- Number of groom's marriages
- Number of bride's marriages
- Birthplaces of bride and groom
- Names of bride and groom's parents
- Maiden names of bride and groom's mothers
- Names of witnesses
- Name of person performing the marriage
Collection Content
Sample Image
1917 Marriage Record
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Collection Details
Location of Original Records
State Archives, Olympia, Washington
"Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 10 October 2024. State Archives, Olympia.
