Enter a name to search for Washington birth certificates. This website was created to provide genealogists with access to Washington birth certificates.. Additional information on how to obtain Washington birth certificates is available below.
Return to Birth Certificates home page.
Birth certificates contain information about a person's birth, including the date of birth, place of birth, sometimes the names of the mother and father, and even the physician who attended the birth. Birth certificates issued by state and local governments will often include the place of residence, and the mother's maiden name.
Birth certificates can be used to establish a person's date and place of birth. Most birth certificates provide the mother's maiden name. Birth certificates are often required to obtain other documents, licenses or to prove eligibility.
This webpage gives you access to all of the online databases containing Washington birth records, Washington birth ceritificates, Washington birth notices, Washington birth indexes, and other related Washington genealogy records.
Birth records have long been used to help with genealogy research. They are considered to be "primary source" records, because the information is recorded by an eye witness, at the time the birth takes place. The Internet has allowed people to store birth records into various online archives. This has brought access to online birth records much more easier for genealogy researchers.
Newspapers frequently publish notices of births, and in addition to birth certificates, are a popular source of research by genealogists. Newspapers typically do not announce the names of the newborn, but list the sex of the child, the names of the parents, the place and date of birth.
On this page you will find the most comprehensive databases containing birth records of Washington. We also suggest searching for "Washington birth records" using Google.com, which will yield all such databases.
Search Washington Birth Certificates
How to Obtain Washington Birth Certificates
Prior to 1891, Washington had no legislative provision for the recording of births and deaths. However, some counties and cities did record births and deaths prior to that time. Between 1891 and 1907, birth and death registers were kept on the county level. The filing of marriages with county officials has been required by law since the creation of Washington Territory in 1853. Post 1907 vital records in the state Office of Vital Records in Olympia are not open to the public for research.
For birth and death records from 1 July 1907 and marriage records from 1 January 1968, write:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709
Must have exact information for births. State office has records since July 1907. For King, Pierce, and Spokane counties copies may also be obtained from county health departments.
Personal check or money order should be made payable to Department of Health. Cost for copy is $17.00. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (360) 236-4300. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the internet at http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/chs-cert.html
For prior records, write to the clerk of the county in question.
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