Search Clark County Genealogy Records

Clark County is one of the oldest counties in Washington State, formed in 1844 as part of the Oregon Territory, and its genealogy records reflect that long history. Marriage records go back to 1843, making this one of the earliest marriage collections in the entire state. The Washington State Digital Archives holds Clark County birth and marriage records for free online search, and the Clark County Auditor's Office in Vancouver maintains records from the early territorial period to the present. This guide walks you through every key source for Clark County family history research, from the courthouse in Vancouver to the statewide archives in Olympia.

Clark County Vital Records and Offices

Clark County was created as an original county in the Oregon Territory on June 27, 1844. The county seat is Vancouver. The Clark County Auditor's Office is located at 1300 Franklin, 2nd Floor, PO Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666, and can be reached at (360) 397-2243. The auditor holds marriage records from 1843, birth records from 1890 to 1907, death records from 1890 to 1907, and land records from 1850. The County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and court records from 1890.

A major fire on February 25, 1890, destroyed the Clark County Courthouse and Jail. That fire took out probate records, Superior and District court records, and records of the Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, and Surveyor's office. The County Auditor's records were not affected. So the auditor's holdings, including those early marriage records from 1843 onward, survived. If you are looking for pre-1890 court or probate records, they are lost. But vital records and marriage records from the auditor's office are intact.

The Southwest Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives serves Clark County. They can be reached at (360) 753-1684 or swbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. They hold historical records transferred from county offices that predate the current county systems.

Clark County Records in the Digital Archives

The Washington State Digital Archives has two key Clark County genealogy collections. Both are free to search online and include images of the original documents when available.

The Clark County Auditor Marriage Records, 1843-Present is one of the oldest and most complete marriage record collections in Washington State. It begins in 1843, before Washington Territory was even created, and runs to the present day. This reflects Clark County's status as an original Oregon Territory county. The database lets you search by groom, bride, or Person A and Person B for marriages after December 6, 2012. Year range filters and Soundex search help narrow results in this very large collection.

The Clark County Auditor Birth Register, 1891-1907 includes an index and images of birth records filed with the county auditor during the period of county-level vital registration. Search by parents' names for best results. The mother's last name will be her maiden name. These records are open for research and were digitized by the Northwest Regional Branch.

Lead-in: The Clark County Auditor's Office manages official county records including marriage licenses and historical vital records dating back to the territorial period.

The auditor's office is the starting point for Clark County marriage records and can help direct you to the right resource for other record types.

Marriage and Birth Records in Clark County

Clark County marriage records starting in 1843 make this one of the best counties in the state for early family history research. Those earliest records cover the Oregon Territory period, when Vancouver was a major settlement near Fort Vancouver. If you have ancestors who came to the Pacific Northwest before Washington Territory was formed in 1853, Clark County is one of the few places in the state where you might find their marriage records.

Birth records from 1890 to 1907 are held by the county auditor and are available through the Digital Archives. For birth records from 1908 to 1920, researchers must contact the Washington State Vital Records Office. For births from 1921 to the present, contact the Clark County Center for Community Health, located at 1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98666. The Center also holds death certificates from 1999 through 2008. For deaths prior to 1999, contact the Washington State Vital Records Office.

Lead-in: The Washington State Digital Archives Clark County collection includes records digitized from the county's earliest years through the modern era.

These digitized records cover multiple record types and time periods, giving Clark County researchers broad online access before they need to visit physical archives.

Probate, Court, and Land Records

Clark County land records start in 1878, though earlier records were lost in the 1890 courthouse fire. The County Recorder holds deeds, mining claims, and county plat maps. Land records are useful in genealogy because they establish when a family arrived in Clark County, where they settled, and how property passed from one generation to the next. The Digital Archives holds Clark County Auditor Recorded Land Records from 1998 to the present for online searching.

Probate records and court records in Clark County date from 1890, after the courthouse fire. The County Clerk holds these files. Probate case files can be rich genealogy sources because they name heirs, list property, and document family relationships in ways that vital records do not. Court records from 1890 onward can place ancestors in legal proceedings and provide additional biographical detail. The Digital Archives also holds the Vancouver Police Department Photographs of Criminals from 1896 to 1940, an unusual record set that documents individuals in the county during that period.

Lead-in: The Clark County Digital Archives collection provides access to additional county records including land and professional license records.

These collections expand the range of Clark County genealogy research beyond vital records to include land use, licensing, and other documentary evidence of ancestors' lives.

Note: The County Recorder's Office also holds Professional License Records from 1998 to the present, which can help identify ancestors who worked in licensed professions in Clark County.

Clark County Genealogical Society

The Clark County Genealogical Society is located at PO Box 2728, Vancouver, WA 98668-2728. The society helps researchers with Clark County family history and maintains collections of local genealogical materials. Local genealogical societies often hold resources that are not available anywhere else, including cemetery records, obituaries, and family histories compiled by long-time local researchers. If you are stuck on a Clark County ancestor, the society is a good contact.

The FamilySearch wiki for Clark County is a useful starting point. It lists specific record sets, date ranges, and links to online databases. FamilySearch Centers in the Vancouver area provide free access to Ancestry databases and other subscription genealogy resources. These centers are worth visiting if you want broad access to census records, military records, and other national collections that complement the local Clark County sources.

Cities in Clark County

Clark County includes Vancouver and several other communities in the southwest corner of Washington. Genealogy records for residents of all cities in the county are held at the county courthouse and the Southwest Regional Branch.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clark County. Ancestors near a county line may have records in more than one jurisdiction.