Redmond, Washington Genealogy and Historical Records
Redmond genealogy research combines municipal records held by the City Clerk with county-level vital and court records from King County. The city was incorporated in 1912 and built on a history of logging and farming in the Sammamish Valley. If you are looking for birth registers, marriage certificates, land records, or probate files connected to Redmond families, this guide explains where those records live and how to request them.
Redmond Overview
Redmond City Clerk and Municipal Records
The City of Redmond website at redmond.gov provides access to the City Clerk, who maintains municipal codes, council minutes, resolutions, ordinances, and public records. Redmond was incorporated in 1912, so city-generated records go back to that year. The clerk's office holds historical council records and processes public records requests for documents produced by city departments.
For genealogists, municipal records can be useful in specific ways. Council minutes may mention property owners, business operators, or residents by name. Building permits document who owned property and when construction took place. City ordinances and resolutions can help researchers understand the timeline of community development.
Before 1912, the area that became Redmond was unincorporated King County. Records from the pre-incorporation period are held by King County, not the city. Researchers tracing Redmond families before 1912 should go directly to King County sources for all vital, land, and court records.
Note: Public records requests should be submitted in writing to the City Clerk. Washington's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) gives the public broad access to government documents, and most requests receive a response within five business days.
King County Records for Redmond Genealogy
The bulk of genealogical records for Redmond residents are held at the King County level. King County was created from Thurston County on December 22, 1852. The County Clerk has divorce records from 1886, probate records from 1891, and court records from 1890. The County Auditor has birth and death records from 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1853.
The King County Auditor's Office is located at 516 Third Ave., Room W-1033, Seattle, WA 98104, phone (206) 296-1655. The Superior Court Clerk's Office is at King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave., Room E609, Seattle, WA 98104-2386, phone (206) 296-9300. The King County Recorder's Office is at King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave., Room 311, Seattle, WA 98104, and has marriage and deed records on microfilm and microfiche.
King County is the most populous county in Washington. It covers Seattle and many surrounding communities including Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish, and many others. If your ancestor lived anywhere in King County, records are filed at the Seattle courthouse.
King County Records in the Digital Archives
The Washington State Digital Archives provides free online access to several King County collections valuable for Redmond genealogy research.
The King County Auditor Birth Records collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov covers 1891-1907 and includes both an index and images. The record count is 19,663. The database is searchable by Mother (Last Name, First Name, Middle Name), Father (Last Name, First Name, Middle Name), Child (Last Name, First Name, Middle Name), Soundex, Gender, and Year From/To. For best results, search by parents' names. The mother's last name will appear as her maiden name. Records were transcribed by the South King County Genealogical Society Extractions Committee. For questions, contact the Puget Sound Regional Branch at (425) 564-3940 or psbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.
The King County Marriage Records collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov covers 1855-2017. The database is searchable by Groom or Person A and Bride or Person B, with a Marriage Year range filter and Soundex option. The record count is extensive, covering over 150 years of King County marriages. Prior to December 6, 2012, the terms Groom and Bride are used; after that date, Person A and Person B apply.
Additional King County Digital Archives collections include Plats and Surveys (1870-present), Military Records, Historical School Districts (1890-1936), and Naturalization Records (1906-1920). The FamilySearch Wiki for King County lists all of these collections with direct links.
Redmond City and King County Sources
The City of Redmond's official website at redmond.gov provides access to the City Clerk and municipal records going back to the city's 1912 incorporation.
The city site links to the clerk's office, public records request portal, and city code database. Researchers looking for post-1912 municipal records should start here.
The Washington State Digital Archives also maintains King County marriage records going back to 1855. The collection shown below covers over 150 years of King County marriages and includes Redmond-area families throughout its date range.
This marriage records collection is fully searchable by name and year. It is one of the most comprehensive county marriage databases in Washington and a key resource for anyone tracing Redmond family lines.
The King County birth register collection from 1891-1907 is another key Digital Archives resource. The screenshot below shows that collection's search interface.
This birth register was indexed by the South King County Genealogical Society Extractions Committee. Searching by parents' names yields the most complete results from this collection.
Local and Regional Genealogy Resources
Several local institutions support genealogy research in the Redmond area. The King County Archives and the King County Library System are both referenced in the FamilySearch Wiki as research facilities serving King County. The Seattle Public Library also holds genealogy collections including city directories, newspapers, and reference materials.
The Washington State Library at washstatelib.libguides.com/genealogy provides guides covering vital records, newspapers, city and county directories, military records, naturalizations, and probates. For King County, the State Library holds records of King County Auditor Death Records from 1891-1907, Seattle Municipal Health Department Death Records from 1881-1907, and City of Seattle death returns from 1881-1907 in its Northwest Microfilm collection.
The Washington State Archives Puget Sound Regional Branch in Bellevue holds historical records for King County including pre-1907 vital registers, marriage certificates, court case files, probate records, and land records. The branch phone is (425) 564-3940 and the email is psbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. All branches participate in the Digital Archives program.
The Washington Rural Heritage program includes digitized photographs, documents, and oral histories from small libraries and museums across the state. Browsing by county or city can surface unique records specific to the Redmond community and surrounding Sammamish Valley.
Note: FamilySearch Centers in Bellevue and surrounding communities provide free in-person access to FamilySearch databases and microfilm holdings relevant to King County research.
King County Genealogy Records
Redmond is in King County, and all vital records, court records, and land documents for residents are held by King County offices. Visit the King County genealogy records page for courthouse addresses, contact information, and a full list of available resources.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Redmond and use King County offices for genealogy records access.