Kennewick Genealogy Records
Kennewick genealogy research draws on records held at the Benton County Auditor, the Washington State Digital Archives, and local historical collections in the Tri-Cities area. Kennewick was incorporated in 1904 and sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers in southeastern Washington. The county auditor holds land and marriage records, while the county clerk maintains court and divorce filings. Digital indexes and images for many Benton County collections are free to search at the Washington State Digital Archives, making it possible to start your Kennewick family history search from home before planning a courthouse visit.
Kennewick Overview
Kennewick Genealogy and Family Records
Kennewick is part of Benton County, which was created from Klickitat and Yakima counties on March 8, 1905. The county seat is Prosser. Because the county is relatively young, most records start in 1905 or shortly before. The Benton County Auditor holds birth returns from 1905-1907, marriage certificates from 1905, and land records going back to 1885. Court and divorce records are held by the Benton County Clerk, with court filings dating to 1884. If your research touches the period before 1905, you may need to look at records in the predecessor counties.
The City of Kennewick maintains its own municipal archive through the City Clerk's office. The clerk holds city council minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and general public records. You can submit a public records request through the City of Kennewick website. Municipal records from Kennewick's incorporation in 1904 to the present are kept there. These include building permits, council meeting minutes, and city ordinance files that researchers sometimes use to trace family activity in the area.
For most genealogical purposes, the county-level records are the most useful starting point. Birth, death, and marriage documents from the early twentieth century are the core of Kennewick ancestry research in Benton County.
Benton County Genealogy at Digital Archives
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts several Benton County collections that are free to search online. These are the most accessible starting points for Kennewick genealogy research.
The Benton County Auditor, Birth Returns, 1905-1907 collection includes both index and images of birth returns filed with the county auditor shortly after the county was formed. A companion collection, the Birth Register, 1905-1907, provides similar coverage. For marriage records, the Benton County Auditor, Marriage Certificates, 1905-1995 collection offers index and images covering nearly a century. Marriage Affidavits from 1909-1939 and Marriage License Applications from 1939-1953 provide additional documentation for that period. The Marriage Records, 1987-Present collection continues forward to recent years.
Land records in the Digital Archives include Plats and Surveys, 1906-2023, and Recorded Land Records, 1938-2023, both with index and images. These are helpful for tracing property ownership and locating where ancestors lived in the Kennewick and Benton County area. The Dental Certificates, 1905-1983 and Professional License Records, 1992-2023 collections can help identify professionals who practiced in the area.
Note: Birth and death records after July 1, 1907 are held by the Washington State Department of Health. Contact the Center for Health Statistics at 101 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501 for more recent vital records.
Benton County Auditor Records in Kennewick
The Benton County Auditor's Kennewick office serves as the primary recording office for land documents and marriage licenses in the county. The office is located at 7122 W Okanogan Place, Suite E120, Kennewick, WA. The phone number is (509) 736-2727, and office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The auditor's online document search application provides access to recorded documents from January 1972 to the present. The index is searchable and updated regularly. Due to privacy concerns, some documents may show only the index rather than full images. Copies printed from the online images are unofficial. For certified copies, you need to visit the office in person or submit a request by mail. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page per document. Mail requests must include the Auditor's File Number and a return address sent to the Kennewick office.
The Tri-City Genealogical Society, based in Richland at PO Box 1410, 1314 Jadwin Ave, Richland, WA 99352-1410, serves Kennewick and the broader Tri-Cities region. Contact them through tricitygensoc.org for information on meetings and research assistance. The society holds unique collections including family histories, cemetery records, and local obituaries not found in government archives.
The East Benton County Historical Society and Museum is located at 205 West Keewaydin Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336, phone 509-582-7704. Collections may include photographs, manuscripts, business records, and personal papers of local families.
The Washington State Archives, Central Regional Branch serves Benton County. It is located on the campus of Central Washington University in Ellensburg and holds genealogical records including birth and death records from around 1900, marriage records from roughly 1867-1997, naturalization records, and probate records. The branch is open for in-person research Wednesdays through Fridays by appointment only. Phone: (509) 963-2136. Email: CEBranchArchives@sos.wa.gov. Visit the branch page at sos.wa.gov/archives/archives_central.
Kennewick Genealogy Resources Online
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts a collection of Benton County records relevant to Kennewick family history research. The image below shows the Digital Archives page for Benton County collections.
Researchers can search these Benton County collections by name, date range, or Soundex to locate ancestors who lived in Kennewick during the early 1900s.
The Digital Archives also holds a separate collection of Benton County Auditor records covering land and professional license documents. This page from the archives shows the available collections for the county.
Land records such as plats and surveys can help confirm where your Kennewick ancestors owned property and when they settled in the area.
The City of Kennewick maintains its own public records portal. The image below shows the city's website where researchers can submit public records requests for municipal documents.
The city clerk's office can help researchers find council minutes, ordinances, and other municipal documents tied to Kennewick's history since its 1904 incorporation.
Additional Kennewick Ancestry Resources
The FamilySearch Wiki for Benton County, Washington is a good starting point for understanding what records exist and where they are held. The wiki notes that eastern Benton County is part of the Tri-City Metropolitan Area and that residents near the river confluences may have records in Benton, Franklin, or Walla Walla counties depending on the era of research.
For records tied to the Hanford nuclear site and the Manhattan Project period, the Reach Museum at 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland, WA 99353 (Phone: 509-943-4100) holds historical collections relevant to the area's mid-twentieth-century population growth. Many families came to the Kennewick and Richland area during the 1940s for war-related work, and museum records can help trace that migration.
Washington State vital records from July 1, 1907 onward are available through the Washington State Department of Health. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates from that date forward can be ordered through the Center for Health Statistics. The state also maintains a searchable death index and other tools through the Digital Archives.
The Washington State Library's genealogy guide at washstatelib.libguides.com/genealogy provides a statewide overview of available record types and repositories. Their Benton County-specific guides can point you to collections held at the state level that cover Kennewick residents.
Benton County Genealogy Records
Kennewick is in Benton County. County-level records for births, deaths, marriages, land, and court filings are the foundation of most Kennewick genealogy research. For more details on Benton County's record holdings and research resources, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Kennewick and may be relevant if your ancestors lived in the broader Tri-Cities and southeastern Washington region.