Archives and Records Management_Family History Research

Family History Resources

Sacamental records as a genealogical resource

The Archives of the Archdiocese of Seattle has records which may be of interest to genealogists. We can answer specific questions regarding the sacraments of baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage and death.

Please be sure to review policies regarding sacramental registers before you request records from the collections.

Parishioners of St. Joachim Mission, 1984. VR700.01234

What is a sacramental record?

A sacramental record is a record of baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage or death. First and foremost, these records are created with the presumption of privacy and to document a sacred rite of the Catholic Church. They are not created with the intention of being a resource for modern-day genealogists.

The registers themselves are not open for examination. Requests for these records must be made in writing. If the requested record can be located, one will be provided with an accurate transcription by the Archives staff. In order to locate a specific record certain information is necessary, such as the name of the person, date of the sacrament and the name of the church or city where the sacrament was administered.

What types of information are in sacramental records?

Baptismal records:

Name at time of baptism, date of birth, parents' names (sometimes including mother's maiden name), sponsors' names, sometimes place of birth, sometimes name of tribe if the person is Native American and name of priest. The record will not provide the names of any children the person may have had. Nor will there be any biographical information on the parents. There is no record of regular church attendance or education.

First Communion records:

The name of the person who received the sacrament and the name of the priest. Not all parishes maintain a first Communion register.

Confirmation records:

Name of the person, sponsor and bishop.

Marriage records:

Groom's name, bride's maiden name, witnesses, date of marriage and priest. Offspring of the married couple are not listed in the record.

Death records:

Name of person, date of death and place of interment.

Which sacramental registers does the Archives have?

What else do I need to know before I request a sacramental record?

There is no central index or database for sacramental records. The records are arranged by city and church. In order to locate a specific record, it is necessary to have an approximate date and the name or location of the church. This is especially crucial information when requesting records from churches in Seattle. If you do not know the name of the church, an address will help determine which church. Past addresses can be obtained from sources such as old city directories, which can usually be found at your local public library.

Only records created 90 years prior to January 1 of the current year are available for genealogical and other research, provided the subjects of the inquiry are deceased.

Request a sacramental record for your family history

Please note that these instructions are for requesting the record of someone other than yourself. To request your own record, please go to Request a Sacramental Record for Yourself.

Submit the online Sacramental Records Request Form. The Archives will contact you if a record is available. There is a $20 fee per certificate and sacramental data is given through certificates only. Due to privacy and preservation issues, we do not allow direct access to sacramental records or photocopying specific pages from the registers.

Other Places to Research Your Family History

Washington State Library

The Washington State Library gives access to several collections of Washington historical records useful to genealogists and has created a guide to genealogy records in the Pacific Northwest.

Washington Digital Archives

Search several collections of digital records including vital records, property records, censuses, cemeteries, immigration records and various other government records by name.

Rev. L.H. Tibesar posing with the Kinoshita family at gates of Camp Minidoka, Idaho in 1945. VR700.02282

Locate a Loved One at Associated Catholic Cemeteries

Search the names, dates and burial locations of more than 76,000 people interred at the four Associated Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Seattle (Calvary, Gethsemane, Holyrood and St. Patrick).

Interment.net: Cemetery Records Online

A free online library of cemetery records from thousands of cemeteries across the world, for historical and genealogy research.

Seattle Public Libraries

The Seattle Public Library’s Genealogy Collection is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest. They offer tours and classes as well as 30-minute appointments with two genealogy librarians to assist with your research. They also provide access to online genealogy tools and databases.

Tacoma Public Library

The Tacoma Public Library’s Local History and Genealogy Resources provide access to several online tools and databases for genealogy, as well as local historical collections.

King County Library System

The King County Library System provides access to genealogy databases and several other tools and guides to help you research your family history.

King County Archives

The staff at the King County Archives can answer genealogy-related questions and provide access to records that may hold genealogical significance, such as census records, birth, marriage and death records, as well as other governmental records that my tell about your ancestors’ lives in King County.

Have other questions?

Please contact us at archives@seattlearch.org

or call (206) 382-4352

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