Franklin County Genealogy Records

Franklin County genealogy records date back to 1882 when the county was created from Whitman County, and researchers can find birth, death, marriage, land, probate, and court records through the County Auditor and the Superior Court Clerk in Pasco. The Washington State Central Regional Archives in Ellensburg holds many transferred records for the county, and several large record sets are freely searchable online through the Digital Archives. Because Pasco sits at the junction of the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers, family history researchers should also check records in neighboring Benton, Walla Walla, and Adams counties, as residents frequently crossed county lines for church, hospital, and civic services.

Franklin County Auditor Genealogy Records

The Franklin County Auditor holds the county's birth, death, and burial records from 1891 to 1910, marriage records from 1891, and land records going back to the county's formation. Marriage records are among the most searched genealogy records in Franklin County, and a large set is accessible online through the Digital Archives. The auditor's office in Pasco is the primary source for these records, and staff can assist with requests that go beyond what is available online.

The Franklin County Auditor Marriage Records 1889 to present at the Digital Archives is one of the most complete collections for the county. It includes 132,109 records covering marriage applications and certificates. Certificates from 1910 to 1930 were digitized from the Central Regional Branch holdings, while electronic copies from 1999 onward were transferred directly from the auditor. The database is searchable by groom or Person A, bride or Person B, marriage year, and Soundex. Records after December 6, 2012 use Person A and Person B instead of groom and bride.

The Franklin County auditor's early recorded document collections at the Digital Archives include additional record types that support family history research in the county.

The auditor's office in Pasco remains the best source for accessing records that have not yet been transferred to the Digital Archives or the Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg.

Franklin County Land and Recorded Documents

Land records are a vital tool in genealogy research because they place families in specific locations and show property transfers across generations. The Franklin County Auditor Recorded Land Records 1989 to present at the Digital Archives contains 527,805 records. Document types include deeds, deeds of trust, easements, federal tax liens, homestead declarations, judgments, leases, mortgages, power of attorney documents, real estate contracts, and transfer on death deeds, among many others. Search by grantor or grantee name, or by addition or year.

The Franklin County Auditor Miscellaneous Recordings 1989 to present collection has 32,288 records covering document types the auditor has not placed in a standard series. These include affidavits, community property agreements, death certificates, declarations, decrees, and name change documents, among others. This collection is particularly useful if you are looking for a name change, a recorded death certificate, or a community property agreement that might not appear in other searches.

Additional Franklin County recorded documents collections round out the Digital Archives holdings for this county and may contain land and legal records outside the main categories.

Franklin County was created in November 1882 from part of Whitman County and was named after Benjamin Franklin. The county seat is Pasco.

Central Regional Archives for Franklin County

The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg serves Franklin County alongside Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima counties. The branch holds genealogical records including birth and death records from the early registration period, marriage records through about 1997, naturalization records, probate records, pre-statehood county censuses, and schoolchildren censuses from roughly 1890 to 1932. Completeness of these records varies by county, and staff can help you determine what is available for Franklin County specifically.

The branch is located at 400 E. University Way in Ellensburg on the Central Washington University campus. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a closure from noon to 1:00 p.m. The branch is closed for in-person research on Mondays and Tuesdays but accepts phone and email requests on those days. In-person research on Wednesdays through Fridays is by appointment only. Call (509) 963-2136 or email cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov to plan a visit or submit a remote request.

Because the transfer of records from county offices to the state archives is an ongoing process, not all Franklin County records are at the branch. Some historical files remain with the auditor or clerk in Pasco while others are pending future transfer. Staff can tell you where to look when a specific record is not yet in the archives.

Cross-County Research for Franklin County Families

Franklin County's location at the confluence of three major rivers made it a crossroads for early settlers. Pasco, the county seat, sits just across the Columbia River from Kennewick and Richland in Benton County, and across the Snake River from Burbank in Walla Walla County. The FamilySearch Wiki for Franklin County explicitly notes that residents from these communities regularly crossed rivers to attend church, get married, use hospitals, and bury their deceased. This means a Franklin County family could have records in Benton or Walla Walla counties even if they lived their whole lives in Pasco.

Residents of northern Franklin County often traveled to Connell in Adams County for various services. If your ancestors lived in the northern part of the county, search Adams County records as well. The FamilySearch Wiki for Franklin County, Washington provides a detailed overview of record types, start dates, and online resources for the county. It is a solid reference for planning your research strategy across county lines.

Note: Statewide birth and death registration in Washington began in 1907, with general compliance achieved by 1917. Before 1907, coroners, physicians, and midwives were supposed to return births and deaths to the county auditor, but many went unrecorded. Keep this in mind when searching for events before 1907 in Franklin County.

Franklin County Ancestry on FamilySearch

FamilySearch offers free access to several Franklin County records. The FamilySearch Wiki lists known record start dates for the county: births from 1891, marriages from 1891, deaths from 1891, court records from 1891, land from the county's formation, and probate from 1891. There is no known history of courthouse disasters in Franklin County, which means survival of early records is generally good. The wiki also lists the Franklin County Auditor Dental Licenses 1911 to 1972, held at the Washington State Archives, as an additional business and commerce record that some researchers find useful for tracing professional ancestry.

For dental licenses and other professional records held at the state archives, contact the Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg. These records are niche but can confirm the identity of an ancestor, provide their address at the time of licensing, and sometimes list their educational background. Franklin County court records from 1891 onward held at the Superior Court Clerk include probate, divorce, and civil case files.

Cities in Franklin County

Pasco is the county seat and the largest city in Franklin County. It is part of the Tri-Cities area and the primary hub for accessing county records and local genealogy resources.

Other communities in Franklin County include Connell, Mesa, Kahlotus, and Eltopia. Records for events in all of these communities are filed with the Franklin County Auditor and Superior Court Clerk in Pasco.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County shares borders with Benton, Adams, Walla Walla, and Grant counties. Ancestors near county lines frequently appear in records from more than one county.