King County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to King County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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.

County Courthouse
King County Courthouse 516 3rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-205-9200 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.

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:

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

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.
 * 1889-June 6 The Great Seattle Fire wiped the downtown slate clean.
 * 1890s Immigrants into King County included Russians, Greeks, and Serbs.

Biographies

 * A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington: including
 * History of Seattle, Washington: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers
 * Puget Sound and western Washington

Cemeteries

 * Kolb, Alexis Ann Alexander, Black Diamond Cemetery, Black Diamond, Washington, (Auburn, Washington: A.A.A. Kolb, 1980). Book online at Includes map of cemetery plots.
 * Lake View Cemetery main site
 * Lake View Cemetery Burial Search

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1857
 * State-funded: 1871, 1877, 1883, 1885, 1887,1889.


 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only. Select Browse all images, click county

Church Records
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 Immanuel Lutheran Church
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 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

 * 1888-1890 Seattle, Washington City Directories, 1888-1890
 * 1891-1893 R. L. Polk & Co., Seattle City Directory, 1891-1893 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * "King County, Washington Online Historical Directories" by google.com

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1882-1957 Seattle, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957
 * 1890-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1947-1957 Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplane Departures, 1947-1957

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans
 * Mumford, Esther Hall. Seattle's Black Victorians, 1852-1901. Seattle Ananse. c1980. F899.S49 N45

American Indian
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Genealogies

 * A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington: including

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1850-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1870-Present King County Recorder, Plats and Surveys, 1870-Present at Washington State Archives - index and images

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
 * Puget Sound and western Washington
 * 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). 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * King County Recorder, Military Records at Washington State Archives - index and images

Indian Wars
 * 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

World War I
 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II
 * 1942-1945 at FamilySearch — index

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1850-1982 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1920 King County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1906-1920 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Newspapers

 * King County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Other Records
Public Records Voting Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1832-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1854-1927 Probate Records, Estate Files, 1854-1927. Part of Washington, King County Probate Records, 1854-1927 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images); Includes a variety of documents Estate Files created during the probate process.

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; includes Snoqualmie Valley 1892-1943 and Tukwila District 1909-1927.
 * 1890-1936 King County Historical School Districts, Registers and Censuses, King County Historical School Districts, Registers and Censuses, 1890-1936 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1852-1963 Washington, Births at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * 1869-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Includes Application for Delayed Certificate of Birth, evidence of support of birth, etc.
 * 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1877-1907 King County Auditor, Birth Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1890-1891 Seattle City Clerk, Birth Register, 1890-1891 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1855-2017 King County Marriage Records, 1855-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1880-1894 King County Auditor, Marriage License Registers, 1880-1894 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 2015 King County Recorder, Marriage Records, 2015 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1891-1907 King County Auditor, Death Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1881-1907 Seattle Municipal Health Department, Death Records, 1881-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Archives
King County Archives King County Archives Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Auburn Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Bellevue Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Bellevue Washington South FamilySearch Center
 * Federal Way Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Issaquah Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Kent Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Kirkland Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Maple Valley Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Newport Washington FamilySearch Center
 * North Bend Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Redmond Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Seattle Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Seattle Washington North FamilySearch Center
 * Tiffany Park Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Vashon Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Woodinville Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library
 * Seattle Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Resources for King County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation. Libraries
 * Seattle Public Library
 * Branches and Locations: Website
 * Genealogy/Databases: Website


 * King County Library System
 * Branches and Locations: Website
 * Genealogy/Databases: Website

Museums

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

Societies
Association of King County Historical Organizations P.O. Box 3257 Seattle, WA 98114 (206) 878-6912 Website Facebook Black Diamond Historical Society PO Box 232 Black Diamond, WA 98010 (360) 886-2142 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 PO Box 374 Bellevue, Washington 98009 Website
 * Library holdings are located at the Bellevue Regional Library, a part of the King County Library System.

South King County Genealogical Society PO Box 582 Auburn, Washington 98071 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 Facebook

Websites

 * King County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb - King WA
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.