Whatcom County Genealogy Records

Whatcom County sits in Washington's northwestern corner, and its genealogy records date back to the county's creation in 1854. Birth and death registers, marriage records from 1869, court records from 1883, and land records from 1854 are all available through county offices and the Northwest Regional Branch Archives in Bellingham. The Washington State Digital Archives holds several key Whatcom County collections online, including birth returns with over 8,500 records. This guide covers the main sources for searching Whatcom County family history.

Whatcom County Vital Records and County Offices

Whatcom County was created from Island County on March 9, 1854. Its name comes from the Lummi word Xwotqom, meaning "noisy water." The county seat is Bellingham. The county auditor holds birth and death records from 1891 to 1907, marriage records from 1869, and land records. The county clerk holds divorce, probate, and court records. Known beginning dates for government records are: Birth 1891, Marriage 1854, Death 1891, Court 1883, Land 1854, Probate 1872, and Census 1850. There is no known history of courthouse disasters.

For vital records after June 30, 1907, contact the Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 509 Girard Street, Bellingham. Phone: not listed on the county site. Processing time for certified copies is approximately 2 to 3 business days; allow 1 to 4 weeks if ordering by mail. The cost is $25.00 per copy. Certified birth certificates cover July 1, 1907 to present. Certified death certificates cover 1989 to present. For older vital records, contact the county auditor or the Northwest Regional Branch directly.

Whatcom County Records in the Digital Archives

The Whatcom County birth records at the Washington State Digital Archives contain 8,517 records covering 1889 to 1907. The collection includes birth returns filed with the county auditor between 1891 and 1907, the Register of Births, and delayed registrations of birth filed in the 1930s and 1940s for births back to 1889. A few documents relating to births before 1889 are also in the series. Transcription and proofreading was done by Emmalie Eckhart at the Washington State Archives.

For best search results in this collection, search by parents' names rather than the child's name alone. Mother's last name will be her maiden name.

Marriage records in the Digital Archives cover 1891 to 2022 from the Whatcom County Auditor. Death records available online include the 1891 to 1907 Whatcom County Death Records and the 1904 to 1915 Bellingham City Clerk Register of Deaths. The city clerk register is a separate series from the county auditor's death records, so if your ancestor died in Bellingham specifically between 1904 and 1907, check both. There is also a Lynden City Clerk Burial Transit Permits series, 1935 to 1971, listed in the Digital Archives with index and images.

The WhatcomRecords.us site provides an additional local records lookup for Whatcom County public records including court records, property records, vital records, and business records.

This local records portal covers court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family court), property records (deeds, mortgages, liens, plats), and business records alongside the vital records available through the county and state.

Northwest Regional Branch Archives

The Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch is located at 808 25th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. Phone: (360) 650-3125. Email: nwbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. This branch serves Clallam, Island, Jefferson, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays by appointment only, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The branch holds extensive series for Whatcom County, including birth and death records from January 1891 to July 1907, marriage records, court records including naturalization records, court dockets, and civil, criminal, and probate case files. Land records include general indices to recordings, deeds, and patents. County commissioner proceedings, real and personal property tax records, and school district records including school censuses are also held here.

Because the Northwest Regional Branch is physically in Bellingham, Whatcom County researchers can visit the archives without a long drive. This is a real advantage compared to most Washington counties whose records are held at branch offices in other cities. In-person visits require an appointment; there is no charge to view public archival documents.

Note: The WhatcomRecords.us fee schedule shows paper copies at $0.15 per page, color copies at $0.30 per page, and recorded documents from the auditor at $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page.

Ordering Vital Record Certificates

For certified birth and death certificates, Whatcom County Health and Community Services issues Washington State certificates from July 1, 1907 onward for births and from 1989 for deaths. Orders can be placed online through Permitium, in person at 509 Girard Street, or by mail. Only people with specific legal relationships to the person on the record can receive a certified copy; anyone can order non-certified copies, which cannot be used for legal purposes.

The Whatcom County Auditor's Office handles marriage licenses and older marriage records. Marriage certificates before January 1968 are with the county auditor; the state holds them from January 1968 onward. The office does not issue birth or death certificates from other states, and it does not issue marriage or divorce records; those need to go through the Whatcom County Auditor or the Washington State Vital Records Office.

Newborn certificate processing currently runs 4 to 8 weeks delayed depending on the parents' marital status at birth. For historical genealogy records, processing times are shorter because the records already exist in the archive system rather than needing to be created.

FamilySearch and Local Genealogy Resources

The FamilySearch wiki for Whatcom County lists the Bellingham Washington FamilySearch Center, the Mount Vernon Washington FamilySearch Center, and the San Juan Washington FamilySearch Center as local facilities offering free access to Ancestry and other subscription databases. The Whatcom Genealogical Society is at P.O. Box 1493, Bellingham, WA 98227-1493 and can assist with local research questions.

Local libraries with genealogy-relevant collections include the Bellingham Public Library and the Whatcom County Library System. Both may hold newspaper archives, local history volumes, and reference materials that supplement the official record sets. The Northwest African American Museum affiliate library is also listed in the FamilySearch wiki as a local research facility that may hold records relevant to specific family lines.

Land records in the Digital Archives cover 2016 to 2023 Whatcom County Auditor Recorded Land Records and 2017 to 2023 Plats and Surveys. For earlier land records going back to 1854, contact the Northwest Regional Branch or the county auditor directly. The 1904 to 1915 Bellingham City Clerk Register of Births is also in the Digital Archives as a separate series from the county birth register, so researchers looking for Bellingham-specific birth records in that window should check both.

The Whatcom County Health and Community Services office processes certified birth and death certificate orders for the period from July 1907 onward, covering the bulk of twentieth-century family history research.

Cities in Whatcom County

Whatcom County covers the Bellingham area and surrounding communities in northwestern Washington. Genealogy records for these residents run through Whatcom County offices.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Whatcom County in northwest Washington. Family records near county lines may cross into these neighboring archives.