King County, Washington Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Seattle
Organized: December 22, 1852
Parent County(s): Thurston
Neighboring Counties
Chelan • Kitsap • Kittitas • Pierce • Snohomish
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, King County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-king.png

Seattle Central Library, King County, Washington

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

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. [1]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

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. [2]

King County, Washington Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
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[edit | edit source]

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

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

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:[6]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • High Point
  • Kanaskat
  • Kangley
  • Krain
  • Lisabeula
  • Magnolia Beach
  • Palmer
  • Preston
  • Raeco
  • Selleck
  • Spring Glen
  • Stillwater
  • Veazie
  • Wabash
  • White
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns

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

Former Cities and Towns
* East Redmond * Foster * Houghton

History Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 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.

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Biographical information is often found in Local Histories and in Genealogies (please see those headings). See also Washington Biography.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of King County, Washington online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records[edit | edit source]

See Washington Census for online censuses, including territorial. For more information, see United States Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 302 —
1870 2,120 602.0%
1880 6,910 225.9%
1890 63,989 826.0%
1900 110,053 72.0%
1910 284,638 158.6%
1920 389,273 36.8%
1930 463,517 19.1%
1940 504,980 8.9%
1950 732,992 45.2%
1960 935,014 27.6%
1970 1,156,633 23.7%
1980 1,269,749 9.8%
1990 1,507,319 18.7%
2000 1,737,034 15.2%
2010 1,931,249 11.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records[edit | edit source]

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.

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

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Highly variable in personal information, court records can mention relatives, occupations, or pinpoint residences and dates. See Washington Court Records for the various courts used through the years.

Online Court Indexes and Records

  • 1853-1889 King Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Archives index only
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[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

American Indian

Japanese

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. Local histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons. See also Washington Compiled Genealogies.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

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

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

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

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). FS Library 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.

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Snohomish CountyChelan CountyKittitas CountyKitsap CountyPierce CountyWA KING.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

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 Records: (1st deed may reveal previous residence)
• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth
• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Indian Wars

World War I

World War II

Japanese

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. Note: Until 1922 in the United States, women's citizenship was based on that of their husbands.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

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.

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

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.

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records[edit | edit source]

Online School Indexes and Records

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. On July 1, 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.[7]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

The county clerk has the divorce records. To order certificates, see Washington State Department of Health.

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in King County. For state-wide facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

King County Archives King County Archives Website

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries[edit | edit source]

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. Listed below are libraries in King County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and 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[edit | edit source]

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

Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in King County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Washington 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[edit | edit source]

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "King County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_County,_Washington. accessed 17/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ferry County, Washington page 732, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), King County, Washington . Page 732-735 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 733-734.
  4. ↑ The Evolution of Washington Counties by Newton Carl Abbott, Fred E. Carver, 1979. Published by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society and Klickitat County Genealogical Society.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Grant County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_County,_Washington, accessed 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
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