Pierce County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington  Pierce County   

Guide to  genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1861, when the county was formed.

Parent County(s)
Pierce County, Washington was created 22 December 1852.

County Seat: Tacoma. See also Towns and Communities in. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by: King | Kitsap | Kittitas | Lewis | Mason | Thurston | Yakima

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Topics
The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to entries with names, images, or information.

Business and Commerce

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

Cemeteries

 * Sumner Cemetery, Sumner BillionGraves
 * Tacoma Mausoleum, Tacoma


 * Alpha list of cemeteries in the county with links to online transcripts.

Census

 * See Washington Census for online indexes and images of US federal censuses. of: 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940.
 * See statewide printed indexes, including 1856.
 * Check county indexes when online indexes fail. Created by people who knew the families of the area, they are often more accurate and they may have added insights. See periodicals and local libraries or other record holders.


 * 1890 Veterans
 * 1900
 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930
 * 1940
 * Federal or territorial census indexes by local societies and individuals: 1854, 1857, 1871, 1879, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892, and 1910  (Free)

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

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


 * Lincoln (Tacoma)
 * Tacoma
 * Tacoma Central

Lutheran

 * Records of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Tacoma, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Correctional Institutions

 * McNeil Island, Washington, U.S. Penitentiary, Photos and Records of Prisoners Received, 1875-1939 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Court Records
Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Washington Court Records for the various courts through the years.

For specialized court records, see Divorce · Guardianship · Land · Naturalization · Probate
 * Power of Attorney Records 1984 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Directories

 * Tacoma, Washington Directories, 1889-91 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com  ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Emigration and Immigration

 * Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

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

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

History

 *  Commemorative celebration at Sequalitchew Lake, Pierce County, Washington, July 5th, 1906, at 2 o'clock, p.m. (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com  ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

History Timeline
Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wilma, David. Pierce County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 8001.


 * The land that would become Pierce County was home to the present day Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin, Steilacoom, and Muckleshoot tribes.
 * 1833 April - Hudson's Bay Company employee Archibald McDonald established Fort Nisqually.
 * 1841 May 11 - The crews of the U.S. Navy ships Vincennes and Porpoise, dropped anchor near Fort Nisqually during the first American charting of Puget Sound.
 * 1849 - In response to increasing tensions between Indians and settlers, the United States Army established Fort Steilacoom.
 * 1852 December 22 - Pierce County was established.
 * 1854 December 26 - Leaders of major Western Washington tribes, met with Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and signed a treaty relinquishing their land.
 * 1855 April 30 - The United States Congress ratified the Treaty of Medicine Creek.
 * Family farming was essential to the survival of early Pierce County pioneers.
 * Commercial farming in Pierce County has over time included hops, flower bulbs, berries, dairy cattle, and Christmas trees.

Land and Property

 * 1883-1919 Part of:"County Land Records, 1850-1954" FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)


 * Land Records 1984 - 2009 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Plats and Surveys Records 1980 present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1984 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Military
Some military records for this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.
 * Military Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1853-1924 Part of:"County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982" FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. (*Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.)

Newspapers

 * Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

The News Tribune (Tacoma)

Puyallup Herald (formerly Pierce County Herald)

Obituaries
Also check:


 * Newspapers of
 * Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
 * Obituaries of neighboring counties


 * Web: Tacoma, Washington, Obituary Index, 1939-2010 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Tacoma Obituary Index contains more than 350,000 entries. File is complete from 1984 to the present day.

Probate Records

 * 1883-1931 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Public Records

 * Prior to 1965 Part of: County Records, Prior to 1965 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

School Records

 * 1895-1896 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Birth

 * Birth Returns, 1891-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)

Marriage

 * Marriage Records, 1876-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1891-1950 Part of: County Records, 1891-1950 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Divorce
Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Washington Vital Records for excellent information.

Death

 * Pierce County Death Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * Washington Death Certificates 1907-1960 A free internet index to the 1907-1960 death certificates can be found at FamilySearch Record Search, no images are available. A transcribed death certificate may contain such information as name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, gender, birth date and birth place, mother’s maiden name and name of spouse, place of residence, occupation and certificate numbers.

Websites
Sites with online indexes or images of records:


 * Current Collections at Washington State Digital Archives (Free) Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in November, 2013.
 * Historical Collections at FamilySearch.org. (Free) Click "Last Updated." Collections through October 2013 have been posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page.
 * Pierce/ Web Sites at RootsWeb - Pierce WA (Free)

Sites that search the Internet for records online:


 * Pierce/ Linkpendium (free)
 * CyndisList (free)

Major catalogs to offline genealogical records: Catalogs refer to books, microfilm, manuscripts, and/or Internet images and indexes for various topics.


 * for (Select topics. Add comma to select towns.)
 * WorldCat To find libraries near you that have items of interest, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
 * See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries


 * Pierce County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Pierce County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

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


 * Check websites and catalogs, such as items in (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for.

Courthouse
Pierce County Courthouse 930 Tacoma Ave South Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: 253.798.7455 County Auditor has marriage and land records. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1890 and adoption records.

Family History Centers

 * Tacoma Washington Family History Center 5915 S 12th St., Tacoma, WA 98466
 * Puyallup Washington Family History Center
 * Federal Way Washington Family History Center
 * Puyallup Washington South Family History Center

Libraries

 * Bonney Lake Library, 18501 90th Street East, Bonney Lake 98390 Phone: (253) 863-5867


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Buckley Library, 123 South River Avenue, Buckley 98321 Phone: (253) 829-0300


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Eatonville Library, 205 Center Street, Eatonville 98328 Phone: (360) 832-6011


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Peninsula Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Drive Nw, Gig Harbor 98335 Phone: (253) 851-3793


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Graham Library, 9202 224th Street East, Graham 98338 Phone: (253) 847-4030


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Key Center Library, 8905 Key Peninsula Hwy N, Lakebay 98349 Phone: (253) 884-2242


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Tillicum Library, 14916 Washington Avenue Sw, Lakewood 98498 Phone: (253) 588-1014


 * Online Resources:


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 * Lakewood Library, 6300 Wildaire Road Sw, Lakewood 98499 Phone: (253) 582-6040


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Milton Library, 1000 Laurel St., Milton 98354 Phone: (253) 922-2870


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Orting Library, 202 Washington Avenue, Orting 98360 Phone: (360) 893-2661


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Puyallup Public Library, 324 S Meridian, Puyallup 98371 Phone: (253) 841-5454


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * South Hill Library, 15420 Meridian East, Puyallup 98375 Phone: (253) 848-8686


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Roy City Library, 122 3rd St. E, Roy 98580 Phone: (253) 843-2331


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Steilacoom Library, 2950 Steilacoom Boulevard Sw, Steilacoom 98388 Phone: (253) 588-1452


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Sumner Library, 1116 Fryar Avenue, Sumner 98390 Phone: (253) 863-0441


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma 98402 Phone: (253) 591-5606


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Mottet Branch Library, 3523 East G Street, Tacoma 98404 Phone: (253) 591-5660


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Swan Creek Branch Library, 3828 Portland Avenue, Tacoma 98404 Phone: (253) 591-7805


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library, 1902 South Cedar, Tacoma 98405 Phone: (253) 591-5166


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Swasey Branch Library, 7001 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma 98406 Phone: (253) 591-5680


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Wheelock Branch Library, 3722 North 26th, Tacoma 98407 Phone: (253) 591-5640


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Moore Branch Library, 215 South 56th Street, Tacoma 98408 Phone: (253) 591-5650


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * South Tacoma Branch Library, 3411 South 56th Street, Tacoma 98409 Phone: (253) 591-5670


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Kobetich Branch Library, 212 Browns Point Blvd. Ne, Tacoma 98422 Phone: (253) 591-5630


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Fern Hill Branch Library, 765 South 84th, Tacoma 98444 Phone: (253) 591-5620


 * Online Resources:


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 * Parkland-Spanaway Library, 13718 Pacific Avenue South, Tacoma 98444 Phone: (253) 531-4656


 * Online Resources:


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 * Summit Library, 5107 112th Street East, Tacoma 98445 Phone: (253) 536-6186


 * Online Resources:


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 * Pierce County Library System, 3005 112th Street East, Tacoma 98446 Phone: (253) 536-6500


 * Online Resources:


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 * University Place Library, 3605 Bridgeport Way West, University Place 98466 Phone: (253) 565-9447


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Buckley Library, 123 South River Avenue, Buckley 98321 Phone: (253) 829-0300


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Eatonville Library, 205 Center Street, Eatonville 98328 Phone: (360) 832-6011


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Peninsula Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Drive Nw, Gig Harbor 98335 Phone: (253) 851-3793


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Graham Library, 9202 224th Street East, Graham 98338 Phone: (253) 847-4030


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Key Center Library, 8905 Key Peninsula Hwy N, Lakebay 98349 Phone: (253) 884-2242


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Tillicum Library, 14916 Washington Avenue Sw, Lakewood 98498 Phone: (253) 588-1014


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Lakewood Library, 6300 Wildaire Road Sw, Lakewood 98499 Phone: (253) 582-6040


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Milton Library, 1000 Laurel St., Milton 98354 Phone: (253) 922-2870


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Orting Library, 202 Washington Avenue, Orting 98360 Phone: (360) 893-2661


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Puyallup Public Library, 324 S Meridian, Puyallup 98371 Phone: (253) 841-5454


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * South Hill Library, 15420 Meridian East, Puyallup 98375 Phone: (253) 848-8686


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Roy City Library, 122 3rd St. E, Roy 98580 Phone: (253) 843-2331


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Steilacoom Library, 2950 Steilacoom Boulevard Sw, Steilacoom 98388 Phone: (253) 588-1452


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Sumner Library, 1116 Fryar Avenue, Sumner 98390 Phone: (253) 863-0441


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma 98402 Phone: (253) 591-5606


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Mottet Branch Library, 3523 East G Street, Tacoma 98404 Phone: (253) 591-5660


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Swan Creek Branch Library, 3828 Portland Avenue, Tacoma 98404 Phone: (253) 591-7805


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library, 1902 South Cedar, Tacoma 98405 Phone: (253) 591-5166


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Swasey Branch Library, 7001 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma 98406 Phone: (253) 591-5680


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Wheelock Branch Library, 3722 North 26th, Tacoma 98407 Phone: (253) 591-5640


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Moore Branch Library, 215 South 56th Street, Tacoma 98408 Phone: (253) 591-5650


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * South Tacoma Branch Library, 3411 South 56th Street, Tacoma 98409 Phone: (253) 591-5670


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Kobetich Branch Library, 212 Browns Point Blvd. Ne, Tacoma 98422 Phone: (253) 591-5630


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Fern Hill Branch Library, 765 South 84th, Tacoma 98444 Phone: (253) 591-5620


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Parkland-Spanaway Library, 13718 Pacific Avenue South, Tacoma 98444 Phone: (253) 531-4656


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Summit Library, 5107 112th Street East, Tacoma 98445 Phone: (253) 536-6186


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Pierce County Library System, 3005 112th Street East, Tacoma 98446 Phone: (253) 536-6500


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * University Place Library, 3605 Bridgeport Way West, University Place 98466 Phone: (253) 565-9447


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:

Towns and Communities
See a list of towns and communities in PierceCounty per Wikipedia.