How to Find Washington Birth Records

How to Find United States Birth Records Washington Birth Records

The Washington Territory was established in 1853. Statehood was granted in 1889. Statewide registration of births in Washington began in 1907.

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Birth Records Choose a time period: Before 1891 1891 to 1907 1907 to present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births before 1891

Washington did not record births on the state level at this time. Before 1891, births were not required to be recorded by the county or the state. A few counties began keeping record of births as early as 1869. Delayed birth records may provide early dates. Search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Records that give birth information:
Death Records Cemetery Records Newspapers	Church Records Census Military Records

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Births 1891 to 1907

• 1848 – Oregon Territory created, including present day Washington state
• 1853 – Washington Territory organized
• 1889 – Washington granted statehood as the 42nd state of the Union
• 1891 – Washington law required counties to record births
• 1907 - Statewide registration of births began on July 1

For births recorded during this time period, try the following databases.

Washington Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:
	1877-1938 at Washington State Digital Archives	Free – includes birth records, registers and returns from 30 counties and two cities, principally from 1891-1907
Try 2nd:
	Washington, Births, 1883-1935	Ancestry.com – $ Ancestryinstitution.com – free at Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers and some public libraries Find your local FamilySearch Center
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

FamilySearch Microfilm Collections:

• 1850–1960 Delayed birth certificates – FHL Film 2034094 (first of 975 film collection)
• 1891–1907, 1938–1969 Birth registers and returns recorded by county or city – FHL Film 1307853 (first of 76)
• 1900–1980 Index to delayed birth records, includes births for earlier years – FHL Fiche 6334808 (12)

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Births 1907 to present

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link. If you do not find your ancestor's birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, then contact the Washington State Department of Health.

Washington Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:
	1877-1938 at Washington State Digital Archives	Free: includes birth records, registers and returns from 30 counties, principally from 1891-1907 with limited records up to 1938
Try 2nd:
	Washington Births, 1883–1935	Ancestry.com – $ Ancestryinstitution.com – free at Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers and some public libraries  Find your local FamilySearch Center
	Can't search the index listed above?	Go to Step Two listed below and order a search for your ancestor from the Washington State Department of Health.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate

With an exact date (from your records or the index above), you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Birth Certificates
From County of Birth		From Washington State Dept. of Health
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use	Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee	May be more expensive than ordering from the county

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth:
The Washington State Department of Health will do a limited search for a fee.

The State of Washington is an open record state. Anyone may order copies of Washington birth certificates, as long as they can provide the required information.

If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.

FamilySearch Microfilm Collections:

• 1850–1960 Delayed birth certificates – FHL Film 2034094 (first of 975 film collection)
• 1891–1907, 1938–1969 Birth registers and returns recorded by county or city – FHL Film 1307853 (first of 76)
• 1900–1980 Index to delayed birth records, includes births for earlier years – FHL Fiche 6334808 (12)
• 1907–1954 Birth index – FHL Film 1711751 (first of 22 films)
• 1907–1948 Birth certificates – FHL Film 1712390 (first of 975 film collection)

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