Yakima County Genealogy Records

Yakima County holds genealogy records spanning birth returns, death records, marriage certificates, naturalization filings, probate case files, land patents, and school registers that date back to the 1860s and earlier. The county was created in 1865 from Klickitat and Walla Walla counties and named for the Yakama tribe. Records here are split between the Washington State Digital Archives, the Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg, and the Yakima County Auditor's office. The 1908 courthouse fire destroyed a portion of older court records, but significant collections survive. Use this guide to track down Yakima County ancestors across all available sources.

Yakima County Vital Records and Offices

Yakima County was created on January 21, 1865, from Klickitat and Walla Walla counties. Known beginning dates for government records are: Birth 1890, Marriage 1877, Death 1896, Court 1882, Land 1882, Probate 1874, and Census 1850. The County Auditor holds birth and death records from 1891 to 1907, marriage records from 1880, and land records. The County Clerk holds probate, divorce, and court records from 1881.

A fire destroyed the Yakima County Courthouse in 1908, and many older court records were lost. Some were salvaged but the majority did not survive, including most docket books. The Yakima County Clerk's office holds what remains of those older records. Researchers should be aware of this gap when looking for pre-1908 court and civil case files. Vital records filed before July 1, 1907, should be requested from the county auditor where the event occurred. For post-1907 records, contact the Washington State Department of Health.

Note: No charge is required to request and view public archival documents at the Central Regional Branch.

Yakima County Records in the Digital Archives

The Washington State Digital Archives holds several Yakima County genealogy collections that are free to search and include scanned images of original documents. Birth returns from 1891 to 1907 are available with index and images. Marriage records cover 1896 to 2008. Death records cover 1896 to 1907.

Land and property records in the Digital Archives include Yakima County Auditor Plats and Surveys from 1979 and 1993-2008, and Recorded Land Records from 1993 to 2008. School records are well represented: the 1894-1925 Yakima County Historical School Districts, Registers and Censuses collection includes index and images. Military records include the 1889-1898 Yakima County Assessor Militia List. Naturalization records cover two periods: 1882-1907 and 1973-1980. Business records include 1909-1953 Yakima County Clerk Medical Licenses and 1994-present Professional License Records.

The lead-in: The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg holds genealogical records, land records, and legal case files for Yakima County going back to the territorial period.

The Central Regional Branch serves Yakima County and eight other south-central and central Washington counties, with collections spanning from pre-statehood through the late twentieth century.

Yakima County Marriage and Death Records

Marriage records are a key genealogy resource in Yakima County. The County Auditor holds marriage records from 1869 to the present. The Central Branch Archives holds an extensive set of marriage record series including: a 42-volume marriage affidavit record, marriage application certificate record 1941-1947, marriage certificates record 1891-1992, marriage license applications 1939-1993, marriage register 1904-1944, marriage returns record 1897-1940, and Native American marriage certificates 1956-1962. That last series is significant for researchers tracing Yakama tribal family connections.

Death records at the Digital Archives cover 1896 to 1907 from the County Auditor. For pre-July 1907 deaths in Yakima County, contact the county auditor directly. Death records after 1907 are with the state Department of Health. Many pre-1908 death and court records were lost in the courthouse fire, but the Washington Genealogy site at washingtongenealogy.com/vital outlines which offices to contact for different time periods and record types, which helps avoid dead ends.

The Yakima Valley Genealogical Society holds a large collection of obituaries starting from 1860. It covers counties in and around Yakima. Their researchers are willing to do lookups. Contact the Society at 509-248-1328 or yvgs1901@gmail.com. They are actively working to put the obituary collection online, but for now, direct contact is the best route. Their library also holds Yakima County cemetery records from 1968-1973, Holland Cemetery records, Cowiche Natchez Cemetery records, and school annuals from local high schools.

Note: For divorce certificates before January 1, 1968, contact the county clerk where the event occurred rather than the state vital records office.

Land, Probate, and Court Records

The Central Branch Archives holds one of the most detailed land and property record sets for Yakima County in the state. The collection includes a book of patents from 1887 to 1915, deeds records from 1882 to 1968, index to plats 1878-1938, and a general index covering 1880-1976 that serves as a direct and reverse index to general filings of the Auditor's office. That general index covers real estate filings from 1882-1891, power of attorney records from 1883-1910, mortgages from 1880-1907, judgments from 1882-1968, mining claims from 1882-1968, miscellaneous records from 1882-1968, mortgage records 1882-1903, official records 1968-1980, original plats 1891-1990, record of liens 1881-1968, state road file 1905-1913, water rights applications 1897-1968, and water rights record 1897-1949. That depth makes land research in Yakima County very productive even for early settler families.

The Central Regional Branch serves Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima counties. Their collections include probate case files and original Civil, Criminal, and Probate case files from Superior Courts from roughly 1889 to 1980. Probate records are especially valuable because they name heirs, list assets, and document family relationships in detail. The branch also holds district court records and select county sheriff's records.

The lead-in: The Washington Genealogy vital records guide explains which Yakima County offices to contact for birth, death, marriage, and divorce records across different time periods.

The guide also explains the effect of the 1908 courthouse fire on Yakima County records and directs researchers to surviving sources at the county and state level.

Yakima County Genealogy Research Tools

The FamilySearch wiki for Yakima County lists specific record sets, date ranges, and links to online databases. It is a good first stop before contacting offices directly. Several FamilySearch Centers in the Yakima Valley can give you free access to Ancestry databases and other subscription services. Check FamilySearch directly to find the nearest center.

Birth returns at the Central Branch Archives extend from 1891 all the way to 1941, with delayed birth certificates through 1942. That is a longer run than the Digital Archives collection, which only goes to 1907. If you are looking for a birth between 1908 and 1941, the Central Branch is where to look. The Yakima County Auditor also holds military discharge records from 1882 to the present, which can help trace veterans who settled in the county after returning from service.

School registers from 1894 to 1925 are available through the Digital Archives with index and images. School records are useful for confirming a family's residence in a specific neighborhood or district and for tracking children through multiple census years. They often contain the names of parents or guardians, which can link a child to family members not captured in vital records.

Cities in Yakima County

Yakima County includes the city of Yakima and several surrounding communities in the Yakima Valley.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Yakima County. If your ancestors lived near the county line, records may cross into neighboring jurisdictions.