Find Genealogy Records in Lakewood
Lakewood genealogy research draws on two distinct record-keeping systems. The city incorporated in 1996, so municipal records held by the City of Lakewood cover only the post-incorporation period. For anything older, Pierce County is the right place to look. Pre-incorporation records from the time Lakewood was unincorporated Pierce County are held by county offices and the Washington State Digital Archives. This guide covers both sets of resources so you can find what you need regardless of the time period.
Lakewood Overview
City of Lakewood Municipal Records
The City of Lakewood maintains municipal records through its City Clerk office. The Clerk holds city council minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and public records created since the city's 1996 incorporation. If you need records tied to city decisions, zoning actions, or municipal contracts from the late 1990s onward, the City Clerk is the right contact.
Lakewood incorporated from unincorporated Pierce County on February 28, 1996. Before that date, the area was governed entirely by Pierce County. Pre-incorporation records — including land transactions, building permits, and local administrative decisions affecting what is now Lakewood — are held by Pierce County. The City Clerk processes public records requests for municipal documents from incorporation onward.
| Office | City of Lakewood City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Website | cityoflakewood.us |
| Records Held | Council minutes, ordinances, resolutions (1996–present) |
| Pre-1996 Records | Pierce County offices |
Lakewood City Resources
The City of Lakewood website provides access to City Clerk services, public records request forms, and links to municipal documents created since incorporation.
The city's online portal is the starting point for any records request related to Lakewood government actions after 1996.
Pierce County Vital Records
For genealogy research covering families in the Lakewood area before 1996, Pierce County records are essential. The Pierce County Auditor holds marriage records, land records, and recorded documents. The Pierce County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and court records from 1890 onward.
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts Pierce County vital records from the pre-state registration period. The Pierce County Auditor Birth Records, 1891-1907 include index and images of birth returns filed with the county auditor. The collection was imaged by the Genealogical Society of Utah and indexed by the Washington State Archives. For deaths in the same period, the Pierce County Death Records, 1892-1907 offer similar coverage with full digital images.
Marriage records are available in two large spans through the Digital Archives. The Pierce County Auditor Marriage Records, 1876-1947 and 1984-2025 cover most of the county's recorded marriage history. These records were digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah and can be searched by bride and groom names with year range filters. For marriages between 1947 and 1984, contact the Pierce County Auditor or the Washington State Archives directly.
Note: The FamilySearch Wiki's Pierce County, Washington Genealogy page is a thorough guide to what survives, where it is held, and which collections are available online.
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society
The Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society maintains indexes and resources that cover the Lakewood area specifically. The society's service area includes Lakewood by name, along with Tacoma, Ruston, University Place, DuPont, Roy, Parkland, Spanaway, and surrounding communities. Their online index to Pierce County records published in "The Researcher" from 1969 to 2013 is a valuable supplement to the official archives.
The index covers records from bibles, cemeteries, census returns, churches, courts, funeral homes, land documents, military files, naturalizations, probate abstracts, schools, taxes, vital records, voter registration, and Washington pioneer records. The society also maintains cemetery indexes, school records, and veterans' graves documentation for Pierce County. Research services and copies of obituaries are available for a fee.
Washington State Archives for Lakewood Research
The Washington State Archives Puget Sound Regional Branch holds original Pierce County records that have been preserved for long-term access. These include birth and death records from 1891 to 1907, marriage records, naturalization files, land records, and court case files. The branch serves Pierce County along with King, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston counties.
Researchers can contact the Puget Sound Regional Branch at (425) 564-3940 or email psbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. There is no charge to view public archival documents in person. Fees apply for document copies. The branch holds records that are not available online, including original case files, probate records, and some naturalization records that have not yet been digitized.
For death records after 1907, the Washington State Digital Archives hosts statewide death certificate collections through the Department of Health covering 1907-1997 and a death index for 1907-1960 and 1965-2020. These are searchable at no cost.
Land, Court, and Probate Records
Land records for the Lakewood area are held by the Pierce County Auditor. The office records deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, covenants, plat maps, and surveys. Online land record indexes at the Washington State Digital Archives include Plats and Surveys from 1973 and 1984-2023, and Recorded Land Records from 1984-2023. For older transactions predating those ranges, the Auditor's office or the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the State Archives will have the records you need.
Probate files and court records for the Lakewood area are held by the Pierce County Clerk. Probate records often include wills, estate inventories, guardianship files, and family correspondence — all useful for genealogy research. The Clerk holds records from 1890 onward. For naturalization records, the Washington State Archives holds historical files that can document when and where an ancestor became a U.S. citizen.
Property tax records at the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's office can help establish ownership timelines and link property transfers between family members across generations. These records are useful when other vital records are scarce.
Pierce County Genealogy Records
Lakewood is part of Pierce County. All vital records, land documents, and court files for the area are maintained through Pierce County offices and the Washington State Archives. The Pierce County page has a full overview of available resources.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Lakewood. Each has its own set of genealogy resources through Pierce County and neighboring counties.