Washington, the Evergreen State
Welcome to the Washington State Genealogical Society's website. We are here to help connect you with resources and services so you can advance your search for your Washington State ancestors and family history.
Nestled in the beautiful northwest corner of the U.S., Washington is a state with terrain from the vast Pacific Ocean, snow-capped Cascade Mountains and forested islands in Puget Sound to rolling wheat fields and an abundance of apples, pears, grapes and hops in Eastern Washington. While Seattle is Washington’s most recognized city, known for its booming tech industry, vibrant music scene and famed coffeehouses, the center of state government is in Olympia. State landmarks include Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, the Space Needle, and mighty Columbia River.
Washington became a state in November 1889 as the nation’s 42nd state and is the only state named after a U.S. President.
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Photo of an unnamed child in 1983. The photograph was created for display at a conference entitled "The Economics of Child Support: A Problem-Solving Conference." Photographer unknown. General Subjects Photograph Collection, 1845 - 2005, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed: 17 Apr 2024. For more information or to learn about related records, contact the Washington State Archives at (360) 586-1492, or email research@sos.wa.gov.
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What's New
WSGS is still accepting family histories of any man, woman or child who lived in Washington Territory on or before 11 Nov 1889. To date, we have over 3,600 people indexed here. For more information about the Pioneer Pursuit program, click here.
WSGS Resources and Services
Blog: Sign up for our blog to keep current with the latest genealogical happenings and events in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest.
Event Calendar: Looking for a road trip? There are genealogical events and meetings all around the state, as well as neighboring states and British Columbia.
Local Society contacts: There are more than 30 local genealogical societies around the state waiting to help you with your research.
Pioneer and First Citizen Program: Begun in 1989 to celebrate Washington's centennial, the Pioneer and First Citizen Program memorializes those Washington citizens who were early residents of the state. Commemorative certificates are available upon residency proof, as well as an index of participants.
Resource Guides: Looking for resources in a specific county? Check out these comprehensive resource guides listing everything from chambers of commerce, and local government departments to libraries, churches and newspapers.
Speakers' Bureau: If you're looking for a speaker for a society meeting, workshop or seminar, visit our Speakers' Bureau page.
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Brags & Bricks
Monday - 04/29/2024
The Seattle Genealogical Society is hosting its Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual). Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. Contact education@seagensoc.org for more information. ...
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Pacific Northwest Special Interest Group
Wednesday - 05/01/2024
The Seattle Genealogical Society is sponsoring a Pacific Northwest Interest Group. Topics this month: 1. Short history of Oregon Territory, 2. Oregon and Washington State Archives, 3. Oregon and Washington State Libraries. Register on the SGS website.
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German Special Interest Group
Friday - 05/03/2024
The program at the Eastside Genealogical Society's German Interest Group will be "National Socialism - Euthanasia and Family Research" with Inga Guttzeit. During the Nazi era, people were transferred from hospitals and homes for the disabled to various institutions in the German Reich ...
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