Clallam County Genealogy Records

Clallam County genealogy research starts at the county seat in Port Angeles, where records date back to the county's formation in 1854. The Clallam County Auditor holds birth records from 1895, marriage records from 1878, and death records from 1891, while the Washington State Digital Archives has digitized key collections that you can search for free online. Whether you are looking for a great-great-grandparent who settled the Olympic Peninsula or tracing a family line through the late 1800s and early 1900s, Clallam County has deep records to work with. This guide covers where to find them and how to get copies.

Clallam County Vital Records and Archives

Clallam County was formed from Jefferson County on April 26, 1854. The county seat is Port Angeles, and that is where you will find the main offices that hold genealogy records. The Clallam County Courthouse is at 223 E 4th Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362, phone (360) 417-2560. The County Auditor has marriage and land records, while the County Clerk holds probate records. Known start dates for government records include birth in 1895, marriage in 1878, death in 1891, court in 1889, land in 1859, and probate in 1888. There is no known history of courthouse disasters in Clallam County, so those early records are likely intact.

The Northwest Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives serves Clallam County. It is located at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Staff there can help with records that have been transferred from the county auditor, clerk, treasurer, and school districts. You can reach them at (360) 650-3125 or by email at nwbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. If you are not sure whether a specific record has been transferred or is still held at the courthouse, call the branch before making the trip. They can tell you where the record lives and whether it is open for research.

For post-1907 birth and death records, contact the Washington State Department of Health. The state took over vital registration on July 1, 1907, so any birth or death after that date is held at the state level, not the county.

Clallam County Records in the Digital Archives

The Washington State Digital Archives holds two main Clallam County genealogy collections that are free to search online. Both include scanned images of the original documents, so you do not need to travel to Port Angeles or Bellingham to view them. These are among the most used starting points for Clallam County family history work.

The Clallam County Auditor Birth Records, 1890-1907 contains 843 entries. The collection includes two records from 1890 and the county's birth register from 1891 through 1906. The records were filmed and indexed by Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch staff and volunteers. When searching, use the parents' names rather than the child's name when possible. The mother's last name in these records reflects her maiden name. Soundex search is available for spelling variations.

The Clallam County Auditor Marriage Records, 1950-2014 covers marriage returns and certificates filed with the county auditor over more than six decades. Records from before December 6, 2012, use the terms Groom and Bride. Records after that date use Person A and Person B. The collection was digitized and indexed by the Northwest Regional Branch. Images of restricted records may be limited, but most of the collection is open for research.

Lead-in: The Washington State Digital Archives Clallam County collection provides free online access to key genealogy records from Port Angeles and surrounding communities.

Browsing the Digital Archives is a good first step before contacting county offices, since many records have already been digitized and can be searched without a trip to Port Angeles.

Note: The Digital Archives also holds Clallam County Recorded Land Records (1985-2014), Plats and Surveys (1985-2014), Recorded Agreements and Contracts (1985-2014), and Professional License Records (1992-2012), all useful for placing ancestors in specific locations over time.

Marriage and Death Records in Clallam County

Marriage records in Clallam County go back to 1878. That predates statehood in 1889 by more than a decade, so if you have an ancestor who married on the Olympic Peninsula during the territorial period, those records exist. The county auditor was responsible for keeping marriage returns and license applications. The Digital Archives holds records from 1950 to 2014 online, but earlier marriage records may be available through the Northwest Regional Branch or in person at the courthouse.

Death records in Clallam County begin in 1891, when the state required coroners and physicians to return deaths to the county auditor. Many early deaths went unrecorded, especially in remote areas of the Olympic Peninsula. The Digital Archives lists Clallam County Auditor Death Records from 1891 to 1906 as a collection. For deaths after June 30, 1907, contact the Washington State Department of Health or the Northwest Regional Branch for state-registered records that may have been transferred. The State Library also holds early birth and death registers in its NW Microfilm collection, accessible via interlibrary loan.

Probate, Land, and Court Records

Probate records for Clallam County begin in 1888. The County Clerk holds these files, which often include wills, inventories of estates, and lists of heirs. Probate case files are among the most useful genealogy documents because they name family members, establish relationships, and document what an ancestor owned. If you have a Clallam County ancestor who died with property or debts, there is likely a probate file worth searching.

Land records begin in 1859, just five years after the county was formed. The County Auditor recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Land records help trace when a family arrived in Clallam County, where they settled, and how property passed through generations. The Digital Archives holds Clallam County Recorded Land Records from 1985 to 2014, and the older records are available through the Northwest Regional Branch or in person at the courthouse. Court records date from 1889 and are held by the County Clerk. These files include civil cases, criminal proceedings, and other court actions that may mention family members or witnesses.

The Clallam County public records portal provides access to many current county documents online, including property records and court filings. For genealogy purposes, the portal is most useful for recent decades, while the Digital Archives and Regional Branch cover the older historical records.

Clallam County Newspaper and Historical Resources

Old newspapers are a key genealogy tool that researchers sometimes overlook. The North Olympic Library System maintains a digital archive of Clallam County newspapers. Small-town papers from the Olympic Peninsula contain obituaries, birth and death notices, legal notices, and community news such as reports of out-of-town relatives visiting. These items do not appear in vital records and can fill significant gaps in a family history.

The Washington Digital Newspaper collection at the Washington State Library is another statewide resource for historical papers. But the North Olympic Library System's local archive is specifically focused on Clallam County and is worth checking first for any newspaper research in this area. Obituaries published before 1907 may be the only documentation of a death for someone whose records were not returned to the county auditor.

The FamilySearch wiki for Clallam County lists additional research tools, including specific record sets available at the Family History Library and its affiliate centers. FamilySearch Centers offer free access to subscription genealogy databases, which can be useful for searching census records, military records, and other collections that supplement local Clallam County sources.

Note: No courthouse disasters are recorded for Clallam County, so the original records that survived from the county's earliest years are generally still accessible through the courthouse or the Northwest Regional Branch.

Research Tools and Tips for Clallam County

When you start Clallam County genealogy research, check the Digital Archives first. The birth and marriage collections are indexed by name, which makes finding a specific person much faster than going through paper records. If you do not find a result, try Soundex search and variant spellings. Many names were written phonetically, and index transcriptions can introduce errors.

If the Digital Archives do not have the record you need, contact the Northwest Regional Branch in Bellingham. They hold records transferred from the county that are not yet digitized. Birth and death records from 1891 to 1907, marriage records from before 1950, and many probate and court files fall into this category. A quick call or email to the branch can confirm whether the record exists before you plan a research visit. For records still at the county courthouse, contact the Auditor's Office at (360) 417-2560 to ask about access and copy fees.

The Washington State Department of Health handles birth and death records from July 1, 1907, onward. Marriage records for recent decades may be requested from the county auditor or the state. If you are researching a recent ancestor, the state records are generally more complete and easier to obtain than the older auditor registers.

Cities in Clallam County

Clallam County includes Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks, and other communities on the Olympic Peninsula. No cities in Clallam County meet the population threshold for a dedicated genealogy page, but records for residents of all communities are held at the county courthouse and the Northwest Regional Branch.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clallam County. If your ancestor lived near a county line, records may appear in neighboring jurisdictions.