King County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

King County

Guide to King County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1852, when the county was formed.

Seattle Central Library, King County, Washington

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

King County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	December 22, 1852
County Seat	Seattle
Courthouse
Address	King County Courthouse 516 3rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206.296.1020 King County Website

County Overview

Description

The County was named for Alabama resident William R. King, who had just been elected Vice President of the United States under President Franklin Pierce. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

Parent County(s)

King County, Washington was created 22 December 1852 from Thurston.

County Seat: Seattle . See also Towns and Communities in King County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse

King County Courthouse
516 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206.296.1020
King County Website

County Clerk has divorce records from 1886, probate records from 1891 and court records from 1890.
County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1853.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in King County, Washington Genealogy.

Dates of Major County Records

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1853	1853	1853	1864	1853	1854	1850
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Topics for King County, Washington Genealogy

The topics or headings on this page describe records that are used for genealogy and family history. They include links to web sites with indexes, images, or information about the county.

 

Biography

Biographical information is often found in state and local histories or genealogies. See also Washington Biography.

• A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington: including (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• History of Seattle, Washington: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• Puget Sound and western Washington (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

 

Cemeteries

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
FindAGrave	Family History Library	FindAGrave
Tombstone Project	WorldCat	Interment.net
Billion Graves (name)	Washington Periodicals	WA State Digital Archives
WAGenWeb Archives		Linkpendium
Billion Graves		Genealogy Trails
WAGenWeb
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information. Tombstones, sextons (caretakers) records, and burial records each have slightly different information. See Washington Cemeteries.

• Kolb, Alexis Ann Alexander, Black Diamond Cemetery, Black Diamond, Washington, (Auburn, Washington: A.A.A. Kolb, 1980). Book online at FHL book 979.777/B3 V3k Includes map of cemetery plots.
• Lake View Cemetery main site
• Lake View Cemetery Burial Search

Census

Federal Census Contents
Names, ages, birthplaces	1850–1940
Birthplaces of parents	1880–1940
Relationships	1880–1940
Family and Neighbors	All years
Immigration year	1900–1930
Citizenship	1910–1940

Censuses 1) Give names, ages, and more about the family; 2) Pinpoint the area to find other records; and 3) Provide clues for further research.

• Washington online census links to FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others.
  • Federal Censuses:
    • 1940 • 1930 • 1920 • 1910 • 1900
    • 1890 Veterans Schedule
    • 1880 • 1870 • 1860 • 1850
  • Territorial and State-funded Censuses:
    • 1847–1898

• Statewide printed indexes of federal censuses

• Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
  • Federal: 1910 •
  • Territorial: 1857 •
  • State-funded: 1871 • 1877 • 1883 • 1885 • 1887 • 1889
  • These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.

• Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for King County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Queen Anne (Seattle)
• Renton
• Seattle S.
• Seattle W.
• University (Seattle)

Lutheran

Denny Park Lutheran Church

• Records of Denny Park Lutheran Church, Seattle, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Immanuel Lutheran Church

• Records of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seattle, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can clarify family relationships, places of residence, occupations, and family history. See Washington Court Records for courts used through the years.

For specialized court records, see Divorce  · Guardianship  · Land  · Naturalization · Probate

• King Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
  • The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Directories

• Seattle, Washington City Directories, 1888-90 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• "King County, Washington Online Historical Directories" by google.com

Emigration and Immigration

 

• Seattle Passenger Lists, 1890-1957. Washington, Seattle, Passenger Lists, 1890-1957 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free)
  • Search by name has links to images. Unclear if search is complete. Browse images available

• Seattle, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups

 

African Americans

• Mumford, Esther Hall. Seattle's Black Victorians, 1852-1901. Seattle : Ananse. c1980. F899.S49 N45

American Indian

• 1911 - 1919 - Washington, Applications for Enrollment and Adoption of Washington Indians, 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — images

Japanese

World War II Files, 1942-1946

Public Welfare/Social Security Department, (Japanese Internment) Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 from the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives

 

Maps and Gazetteers

 

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Genealogy

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. County histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons. 

• A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington: including (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Guardianship

Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the District courts. See Washington Court Records.

History

Local histories for King County, Washington Genealogy may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

• History and Progress of King County, Washington... by Henry C. Pigott, from archive.org.

• Three Cities Of Washington; Origin Of Their Names... by Edmond Stephen Meany [Seattle: Washington University State Historical Society, 1917?] at Washington History. Covers the origins of the city names Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma

• History of the Puget Sound country, Volume 1 ,Volume 2 by William Farrand Prosser [New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1903] at Washington History

• History of Seattle, Washington: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• Puget Sound and western Washington (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• A history of central Washington : including the famous Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan and the Columbia Valleys.... (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Oral History

• Olson, Diane and Cory, comp. and ed., Black Diamond: Mining the Memories, An oral history of life in a company town, (Seaside, Oregon: Frontier Publishing, 1988). FHL Book 979.777/B1 H2o The 1989 Washington Centennial project of the Black Diamond Historical Society, this book is a compilation of historical photographs and selections from the transcripts of over fifty oral history interviews.

• University of Washington, Urban Design and Planning, Mining the Memories II, Black Diamond Oral History Project, (University of Washington: 2011). Summary of 2010 oral history project pdf for the Black Diamond Historical Society. A follow-up to the 1988 centennial project, students interviewed another twenty-two residents capturing the history of Black Diamond as the area transitioned from a coal mining company town, 1950s to present.

History Timeline

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Priscilla Long. King County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7905.

• The area's indigenous peoples included the Duwamish, the Snoqualmies,and the Muckleshoots.
• 1850 - Early explorers were Colonel Isaac Ebey and later, the gold-seeker John Holgate.
• 1850 - The great spur to settlement was the Donation Land Claims Act of 1850, which granted 320 acres to each adult U.S. citizen who arrived in Oregon Territory before December 1850, and resided on their claim for four years.
• 1851 - September 14, The first settlers were farmers led by Luther Collins.
• 1852 - December 22, The Oregon Territorial Legislature created King County.
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• 1889 - June 6, The Great Seattle Fire wiped the downtown slate clean.
• 1890s - Immigrants into King County included Russians, Greeks, and Serbs.

Land and Property

Land Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Seller (Grantor)
Seller's Spouse
Buyer (Grantee)
Heirs
Witnesses
Land Description and Dates
Tips -or- Land Contents

Land records (especially deeds) may give the name of a spouse, heirs, and witnesses, who may be relatives or in-laws.

County deeds, mortgages, and leases show transfers from person to person. See also Court Records for actions involving real estate. See Washington Land for government-to-person records.

• County Land Records, 1850-1954 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Maps

 

This map highlights the county within the state of Washington. The map soon will have inter-active links.

Migration

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:

• Censuses (use birthdates and places of children as clues)

• Land (1st deed may reveal previous residence)

• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth

• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military

 

World War I

• 1921-1925 - Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index

World War II

• 1942-1945 - Idaho, Jerome County Historical Society, Minidoka Japanese Relocation Center Mixed Vital Records, 1942-1945 at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information.     *Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.

• King County Naturalization records at Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Included in the collection: Declaration of intention 1854-1924; Case files 1883-1927; Case files index 1864-1889 (box 1-3); Petitions 1906-1910; Records finding aid 1866-1924.

• Naturalization Records, 1906-1928 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

• Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as King County, Washington Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. To select a county in Washington, add a comma, slide way down to the county list, then click Search. (Almost every state seems to have a Washington County)

Obituaries

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, living family members, education, occupation, and more. See Washington Obituaries for state level collections and United States Obituaries for tips and insights.

See also: Newspapers • Libraries • Societies • Funeral Homes • Obituaries of neighboring counties or of the person's previous residence • Family records.

Also check:

• Newspapers of King County, Washington Genealogy
• Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
• Obituaries of neighboring counties

 

Probate Records

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

• Probate Case Files, 1903-1917 Part of Washington, County Probate Case Files, 1832-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free)

• Probate Records, Estate Files,1854-1927. Part of Washington, King County Probate Records, 1854-1927 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes a variety of documents Estate Files created during the probate process.

Public Records

Public records are documents created by civil authorities that either don't fit comfortably in another topic, or that could fit in several topics.

• King Postmaster Index A-Mc • Postmaster Index Mc-Z. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)

School Records

 

• School Registers1892-1958 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • includes Snoqualmie Valley 1892-1943 and Tukwila District 1909-1927.

Taxation

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington Taxation.

Vital Records

The county auditors in Washington kept records of birth, marriage, and death. The county clerk has the divorce records - the earliest dates to the present.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health website to order a Washington Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce Certificate. See Washington Vital Records for details and history of the records. .

Birth

Birth Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Child
Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Parent's Ages
Parents' State or Country of Birth
Name of Doctor or Midwife

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. In 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Birth Records.

• Birth Register, 1877-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Delayed Birth Certificates, 1941-1942. Washington, King County Delayed Births, 1941-1942 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • Includes Application for Delayed Certificate of Birth, evidence of support of birth, etc.

For earlier or unrecorded births, search:

• Delayed Birth Certificates often include statements of witnesses to the birth.
• Death Records to learn birth date, place, parents
• Census to learn age, family members, location, etc.
• School Censuses give date of birth and name of parent or guardian
• Cemeteries for birth date or age, maybe birth place
• Obituaries for any of the above and more
• See also Neighboring and Parent counties and How to Find Washington Birth Records.

Marriage

Marriage Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Date of Marriage or License
Names of Bride and Groom
Ages
Birth Places
Residences
Names of Parents
Husband's Occupation
Witnesses
Minister or Officiator

Marriage records include certificates, marriage returns, license applications or affidavits. Counties kept the records until 1968, when the state took over.

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Marriage Records.

To obtain copies of marriage records, go to Kingcounty.gov.

• 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1855–2008 - Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — index and images
  

• 1880-1894 - Marriage License Registers, 1880-1894 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1855-1990 - Marriage Records, 1855-1990 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1969-2014 - Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Washington Vital Records for excellent information.

Online Records

• 1969 - 2014 - Washington Divorce Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Death

Death Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Deceased
Death Date and Place
Age or Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Name of Spouse
Residence
Occupation

In 1891, coroners, physicians and midwives were to report (or return) all births and deaths under their supervision to County Auditors. On July 1, 1907, the State took over....

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Death Records.

• Death Register 1891 - 1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Seattle Death Registers Index, 1881-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection (Free)

 

Websites

Sites with online indexes or images of records
King County WAGenWeb Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
USGenWeb Archives Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Washington State Digital Archives	Free	Includes indexes, some linked to images. Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in December, 2013.
FamilySearch Historical Collections	Free	Search indexes or browse images at FamilySearch.org. Click "Last Updated." Collections through December 2013 have been posted to the appropriate topics for this Wiki page.

Sites that search for links pertaining to King County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - King WA	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Linkpendium	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
CyndisList	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
StateofUS.com	Free	"King County, Washington Facts" (Mis-labeled " King County, Alabama facts"

Major catalogs for hard copy collections of King County, Washington Genealogy Books, microfilm, or manuscripts of genealogical records
FamilySearch catalog	Select topics. To select towns, add a comma to the search box.
WorldCat	To find nearby libraries that have specific items, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

Archives, Libraries, etc.

See also a List of Washington Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies  

Resources for King County, Washington Genealogy are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

• Check websites and catalogs, such as items in FamilySearch Library (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for King County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

• "King County Archives"

Courthouse

King County Courthouse
516 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206.296.1020

Records and Elections Division, Records Section has birth, marriage, death and land records from 1853. Clerk of the Superior Court has divorce, probate and county records.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

• For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map

• Auburn Washington Family History Center 625 M ST. NE., Auburn, WA 98002 United States Location Map

• Bellevue Washington Family History Center 10675 NE 20th St.,Bellevue, WA 98004 United States Location Map

• Bellevue Washington South Family History Center 15205 SE 28th St., Bellevue, WA 98007 United States Location Map

• Federal Way Washington Family History Center 34815 Weyerhaeuser Way S., Federal Way, WA 98003 United States Location Map

• Kirkland Washington Family History Center 7910 NE 132nd St., Kirkland, WA 98034 United States Location Map

• Maple Valley Washington Family History Center 26800 236th Pl SE, Maple Valley, WA 98038 United States Location Map

• Issaquah Washington Family History Center 1100 6th Ave SE Issaquah WA 98027 United States Location Map

• Redmond Washington Family History Center 10115 172nd Ave. NE, Redmond, WA 98052 United States Location Map

Libraries

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy.

• Seattle Public Library
  • Branches and Locations
  • Genealogy / Databases

• King County Library System
  • Branches and Locations
  • Genealogy / Databases

Museums

 

• Black Diamond Historical Depot Museum
  32627 Railroad Ave
  Black Diamond, WA 98010
  Phone: 360–886–2142
  Website

Societies

 

• Black Diamond Historical Society
  Website
  Facebook. The mission of the Black Diamond Historical Society shall be the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of the history of Black Diamond and environs, as it relates to King County and the State of Washington.
• Eastside Genealogical Society
  Website. Library holdings are located at the Bellevue Regional Library, a part of the King County Library System.
• South King County Genealogical Society
  Website. Library holdings are located at the Auburn branch of the King County Library System.
• Seattle Genealogical Society
  6200 Sand Point Way N.E., #101
  Seattle, WA 98115
  Website.

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cities
Algona Auburn‡ Bellevue Black Diamond Bothell‡ Burien Carnation Clyde Hill Covington Des Moines Duvall Enumclaw	Federal Way Issaquah Kenmore Kent Kirkland Lake Forest Park Maple Valley Medina Mercer Island Milton‡ Newcastle Normandy Park	North Bend Pacific‡ Redmond Renton Sammamish SeaTac Seattle (county seat) Shoreline Snoqualmie Tukwila Woodinville
Towns
Beaux Arts Village Hunts Point	Skykomish	Yarrow Point
Unincorporated communities
Bayne Bayne Junction Cedar Falls Cumberland East Redmond Edgewick Ernie's Grove Grotto	High Point Kanaskat Kangley Krain Lisabeula Magnolia Beach Palmer Preston	Raeco Selleck Spring Glen Stillwater Veazie Wabash White
Native American communities
Muckleshoot Reservation‡
Census-designated places
Ames Lake Baring Boulevard Park Bryn Mawr-Skyway Cottage Lake East Renton Highlands Fairwood Fall City Hobart	Klahanie Lake Holm Lake Marcel-Stillwater Lake Morton-Berrydale Lakeland North Lakeland South Maple Heights-Lake Desire Mirrormont Ravensdale	Riverbend Riverton Shadow Lake Tanner Union Hill-Novelty Hill Vashon Westwood White Center Wilderness Rim
Ghost towns
Barneston Edgewick Franklin Hot Springs Kerriston Krain	Lester Monohon Nagrom Osceola Page Rockdale	Sheridan Snoqualmie Falls Taylor Wellington Weston

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Former Cities and Towns

* East Redmond

* Foster

* Houghton