Okanogan County Genealogy Records

Okanogan County genealogy research covers birth registers going back to 1891, marriage records, land records, and court and probate filings from this large north-central Washington county. The Washington State Digital Archives holds several Okanogan County collections online, the Okanogan County Historical Society runs the Wilson Research Center with an Okanogan County Genealogical Society corner and over 10,000 images, and the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg holds original and transferred county records. This guide covers the key sources and how to reach them.

Okanogan County Vital Records and Courthouse

Okanogan County was created on February 2, 1888, from part of Stevens County. The county seat moved from Ruby to Conconully in 1888, and then to Okanogan in 1914, where it remains today. It is the largest county by area in Washington State. Records from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century are held at the county courthouse, at the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch, and in the Digital Archives online.

The County Auditor holds birth and death records from the period before state registration began in 1907, marriage records, and land records going back to 1878, though a fire destroyed some earlier county records. The Assessor's office at PO Box 152, phone 509-422-7190, makes records available to the public and has staff who can help researchers identify what is held and get started. The county courthouse is at 149 Third N, Okanogan, WA 98840. The Auditor's office phone is 509-422-7240.

The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg serves Okanogan County and can be reached at (509) 963-2136 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. They hold genealogical records including birth and death records from the turn of the nineteenth century, marriage records, naturalization records, probate records, pre-statehood county censuses, and schoolchildren censuses from approximately 1890 to 1932. For post-1907 vital records, contact the Washington State Department of Health.

Okanogan County Birth Records Online

The Okanogan County Auditor Birth Register, 1891-1913 in the Digital Archives contains 2,484 indexed records with scanned images. This collection covers a longer period than most Washington county birth registers, running from June 1891 through August 1913. For best results, search by the parents' names using either the full last name or just the first letter. The mother's last name will reflect her maiden name.

The collection was transcribed and proofread by Eileen Dodge of Olympia, Jean Hirschfield of Colville, and Jeannette Casey of McKenna, Washington. All records are open for research. For questions about this collection or related records, contact the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch at (509) 963-2136 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

Lead-in: The Okanogan County birth register in the Digital Archives holds 2,484 indexed entries covering June 1891 through August 1913, a longer span than most county auditor birth collections in Washington.

The Okanogan County birth register is one of the more complete early vital records collections in eastern Washington and extends several years beyond the 1907 statewide registration cutoff.

Okanogan County Marriage and Land Records

The Okanogan County Auditor marriage records, 1998-2022 are available in the Digital Archives as an indexed collection with images. The search interface uses the standard Washington State Archives marriage fields: groom or person A, bride or person B, year range, and Soundex. For marriage records prior to 1998, researchers should contact the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch or search the FamilySearch collections. The county auditor holds marriage records from the county's formation in 1888 forward, though early records were affected by the courthouse fire that also destroyed some land records before 1878.

Lead-in: The Okanogan County marriage records database in the Digital Archives covers 1998 through 2022 and is searchable by name, year range, and Soundex for variant spellings.

For marriages before 1998, the Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg holds transferred county auditor records and can assist researchers looking for earlier marriage certificates.

The Okanogan County Auditor recorded land records, 1993-2022 are also available online. The County Recorder's Office holds deeds, mining claims, copies of county plat maps, and land records dating back to 1878. Land records are a key tool in genealogy research because they can place an ancestor at a specific location, show when they arrived, and document how property moved between family members. The Assessor's office staff can help researchers get started and show where records are kept. For pre-1878 land research, records prior to the courthouse fire may not be recoverable.

Lead-in: The Okanogan County land records in the Digital Archives cover 1993 through 2022 and include deeds, mining claims, and related property documents.

The County Recorder's Office holds additional land records going back to 1878, which predates the online collection and can help researchers trace property ownership through the earlier settlement period.

Okanogan County Historical Society and Research Center

The Okanogan County Historical Society (OCHS) was established in 1963 and operates several historical sites in the county. The society runs the Okanogan County Historical Museum, the Wilson Research Center, the Shafer Historical Museum in Winthrop, the Conconully Museum, and the Molson Schoolhouse and Old Molson townsite. In 1984, OCHS was the first small society to receive the Washington State Historical Society's Robert Gray Medal for distinguished contributions to local and state history.

The Wilson Research Center houses the society's research library. A corner of the center is dedicated to the Okanogan County Genealogical Society. The society maintains an online database of over 10,000 images searchable through Past Perfect. Researchers who cannot visit in person can search the image database and then contact the society to request scans or additional information.

Contact the Okanogan County Historical Society at 1410 2nd Avenue North, Okanogan, WA 98840, phone 509-422-4272. The society is the main local genealogy resource for researchers tracing families in the Okanogan Valley and surrounding areas. Their collections include records from the county's earliest settlement through the twentieth century, with a focus on the distinct communities and ethnic groups that shaped the region.

Note: The FamilySearch wiki for Okanogan County, Washington Genealogy lists all online collections, the location of county seat changes over time, and contacts for local research facilities including the OCHS Wilson Research Center.

Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch

The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch provides archival and records management services to Okanogan County and eight other counties: Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima. The branch is in Ellensburg and can be reached at (509) 963-2136 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

For Okanogan County genealogy, the Central Regional Branch holds birth and death records from the turn of the nineteenth century, marriage records from approximately 1867 to 1997, naturalization records, probate records, pre-statehood county censuses, and schoolchildren censuses from approximately 1890 to 1932. Completeness varies from county to county because of fires and other disasters that affected some county courthouses. Staff can help researchers determine what is available and where it is held.

The branch also holds land use and property records including patents, deeds, mortgages, tax assessments, timber cruise ledgers, mining claim records, plat books, and water rights records. For legal history research, they hold original Civil, Criminal, and Probate case files from Superior Courts from approximately 1889 to 1980, miscellaneous District Court records, and select County Sheriffs' records. These deeper archives can support genealogy research that goes beyond standard vital records searches.

Nearby Counties

Okanogan County borders Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, and Stevens counties. Families who ranched or farmed near county lines may have records in more than one courthouse.