Pacific County Genealogy Records
Pacific County sits on the far southwest corner of Washington State, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. If you are looking for genealogy records from this region, the Washington State Archives Digital Archives holds birth, marriage, and death records for the county going back to 1872. Researchers can also dig into local collections at the Pacific County Historical Society and through the Timberland Regional Library system. This page walks you through the main sources, what they hold, and how to access them for your Pacific County family history work.
Pacific County Overview
Pacific County Auditor and Courthouse
The Pacific County Courthouse is located at 300 Memorial Drive, South Bend, WA 98586. The county auditor holds marriage records dating back to 1868, making this one of the more complete early marriage record sets on the Washington coast. The auditor's office is the starting point for anyone looking for land records, marriage certificates, or related documents from the county.
Pacific County was created by the Oregon Territorial Legislature in 1851 from Lewis County. It stretches along the Washington coast and takes in the Long Beach Peninsula, Willapa Bay, and surrounding communities. The county name comes from the Pacific Ocean, which forms its western border. Because of its coastal location and early settlement patterns, the county has a rich record base for genealogical work going back to the territorial period.
For vital records after 1968, copies can also be obtained from the Washington State Department of Health. The county auditor handles records from 1868 forward, though the digitized collections at the state level cover specific date ranges as described below.
| Office | Pacific County Auditor |
|---|---|
| Address |
Pacific County Courthouse 300 Memorial Drive South Bend, WA 98586 |
| Marriage Records | From 1868 to present |
| Archives Branch | Southwest Regional Branch, Washington State Archives |
| Archives Phone | (360) 753-1684 |
| Archives Email | swbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov |
Pacific County Genealogy in the Digital Archives
The Washington State Archives Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds three main collections for Pacific County. These are free to search online and include both index data and scanned images of the original documents. For Pacific County genealogy research, these collections are the easiest place to start before contacting the courthouse or archives in person.
The Pacific County Auditor Birth Register, 1891-1915 contains 1,563 records. It covers births filed with the county auditor from 1891 through 1915, with one record from 1916. To get the best results, search by parents' last name using either the full name or just the first letter. The mother's last name in these records will be her maiden name. The records were transcribed and proofread by Historical Records Project volunteers Penny Kramer of Raymond, Washington, and David Williams of Irvine, California.
The Pacific County Auditor Marriage Records, 1872-1947; 1996-2022 spans two date ranges. The 1872 start reflects early territorial and statehood marriages. You can search by groom or bride name with year filters and Soundex options. The collection is open for research.
The Pacific County Auditor Death Records, 1891-1917, cover deaths filed with the auditor before and after the 1907 state takeover of vital registration. This collection is notable because it extends a full decade past the 1907 cutoff, showing that the county auditor kept death registers well after statewide registration started. Records include name, place, date, and cause of death.
The Pacific County Historical Society hosts this screenshot of a key genealogy resource for Southwest Washington researchers.
The Pacific County Historical Society in South Bend maintains over 10,000 photographic images and 500 lineal feet of archival records that supplement the Digital Archives collections.
Note: Birth records in the Digital Archives are restricted for 100 years from the date of birth; records become available as they reach the end of the restriction period.Pacific County Historical Society and Museum
The Pacific County Historical Society and Museum is located at 1008 West Robert Bush Drive, South Bend, WA 98586. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm, with free admission. Donations help support its operations. For researchers doing Pacific County genealogy, this is one of the best local resources in the area.
The society holds over 10,000 photographic images, 1,500 historical artifacts, and 500 lineal feet of archival records. The museum library has more than 500 volumes of rare local history. Collections cover Pacific County communities, cultural life, ethnic groups, indigenous peoples, and economic activities including oyster farming, tree farming, and cranberry growing. The society runs a bookstore focused on local history titles. Contact them by phone at 360-875-5224 or by email at museum@willapabay.org.
Pacific County marriage records in the Digital Archives date from 1872, covering the early territorial and statehood period through the mid-twentieth century and continuing with modern records through 2022.
Timberland Regional Library Access
The Timberland Regional Library system serves Pacific County with a branch at 1308 256th Place, PO Box 310, Ocean Park, WA 98640-0310. Library branches give free access to genealogy databases including Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. These tools are available during regular library hours at any Timberland branch.
Timberland also serves Lewis, Mason, and Thurston counties, so researchers working across county lines in southwest Washington can use any branch in the region. The Ocean Park branch and other locations maintain local history collections with newspapers, census records, and interlibrary loan services for hard-to-find materials.
The Pacific County birth register collection in the Digital Archives holds 1,563 records from 1891 to 1915 and is the primary digitized birth source for this county.
Washington State Archives Southwest Branch
The Southwest Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives handles original records for Pacific County and eight other counties in the region, including Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Thurston, and Wahkiakum. The branch holds microfilm of the Pacific County Auditor birth and death registers as part of its Northwest Microfilm collection.
Researchers can visit the branch in person to look at original case files, probate records, and uncataloged holdings. The branch is located at 1120 Washington St. SE, PO Box 40238, Olympia, WA 98504-0238. Research hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reach them at (360) 753-1684 or swbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. The Southwest Regional Branch page lists current holdings and contact details.
Court records for Pacific County, including divorce, probate, and civil filings, are held by the branch from the mid-19th century to the present. These records can help genealogy researchers trace family court events that do not appear in vital records collections.
Note: The Washington State Library research guide for Pacific County lists the state archives branch, the county historical society, and Timberland Regional Library as the three main starting points for local research.Types of Pacific County Genealogy Records
Genealogy research in Pacific County draws from several types of records. Vital records cover births from 1891, marriages from 1872, and deaths from 1891. Court records at the county clerk's office include probate files, estate inventories, and case filings. Land records at the auditor's office cover deeds and property transfers going back to the territorial period.
Pacific County also has a small but useful set of local newspaper archives. The Willapa Harbor Herald and other regional papers covered births, deaths, and marriages. Libraries and the historical society hold runs of these papers that are not always indexed online. Census records from 1880 through 1940 are freely available through FamilySearch and other platforms and can help you fill in gaps between vital record entries.
- Birth records: Digital Archives, 1891-1915 (1,563 records)
- Marriage records: Digital Archives, 1872-1947 and 1996-2022
- Death records: Digital Archives, 1891-1917
- Land and property records: Pacific County Auditor, from 1851
- Probate and court records: Southwest Regional Branch
- Local histories: Pacific County Historical Society library
- Newspapers and photographs: Historical Society, 10,000+ images
Cities in Pacific County
Pacific County communities include South Bend, Raymond, Long Beach, Ocean Park, Ilwaco, and Naselle. All vital records and court filings for this county go through the Pacific County Courthouse in South Bend. None of these cities currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city genealogy page on this site.
Nearby Counties
Pacific County borders several other Washington counties. Genealogy records for neighboring areas are held by their respective county offices and the Southwest Regional Archives branch.