Washington Emigration and Immigration

Online Resources

 * 1500s-1900s All U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s at Ancestry; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Washington; Also at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1908-1917 Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Seattle from U. S. insular possessions, 1908-1917, Port Townsend, Seattle, and Tacoma


 * 1949-1954 Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Seattle, Washington : NARA M1398, 1949-1954
 * 1882-1961 Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1961 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1890-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at FindMyPast; index & images ($), MyHeritage; index & images ($)
 * 1894-1909 Customs records of passenger manifests inbound, 1894-1909: Port Townsend, Tacoma, and Seattle''
 * 1894-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritage; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Washington
 * 1895-1964 All U.S., Border Crossings from Mexico to U.S., 1895-1964 at Ancestry; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Washington


 * 1904-1944 Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports, 1904-1944 at Ancestry; index & images ($)

Cultural Groups

 * 1903-1944 North Dakota and Washington, Chinese Passenger Arrivals, 1903-1944 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1920-1939 Germany, Bremen Emigration Lists, 1920-1939 at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Washington
 * 1947-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1947-1957 Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * Germans Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Washington
 * Italians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Washington
 * Russians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Washington
 * 1882-1916 Lists of Chinese passengers arriving at Seattle and Port Townsend, 1882-1916

History
In the early 1800s, traders and trappers came from Canada, Russia, Latin America, and the United States into what is now Oregon and Washington. In 1811 John Jacob Astor, an American, established the first white settlement in Oregon. Most early settlements of the 1830s and 1840s were in the Willamette River Valley. In 1843 more than 900 emigrants came to Washington from Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa.

In the 1850s, gold was discovered in eastern Washington and prospectors flocked in. Major Indian hostilities, however, slowed migration. In 1860 gold was found near Walla Walla, and this brought another rush of prospectors, including large numbers of Chinese. After 1870 immigrants came from Germany, Scandinavia (especially Norway and Sweden), Holland, Britain, and the Philippines. Many Japanese immigrated to Washington starting in the mid-1880s.

The Oregon-California Trails Association is an educational organization that promotes the story of the westward migration to Washington, among other places. Their site includes a personal name index to trail diaries, journals, reminiscences, autobiographies, newspaper articles, guidebooks and letters at PaperTrail.org.

The greatest influx of settlers started in the 1880s, when transport by rail became possible. The first of three transcontinental railroads to Washington was completed in 1888. Most of the settlers of the 1880s and 1890s were from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other western, midwestern, and eastern states. Others came from Canada and Europe.