The Seattle area has been inhabited for at least 4,000 years, but European settlement began only in the mid-19th century. The first permanent white settlers—Arthur A. Denny and those subsequently known as the Denny Party—arrived November 13, 1851. Early settlements in the area were called "New York-Alki" ("Alki" meaning "by and by" in the local Chinook Jargon) and "Duwamps". In 1853, Doc Maynard suggested that the main settlement be renamed "Seattle", an anglicized rendition of the name of Sealth, the chief of the two local tribes.

According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management's April 1, 2008 estimate, the city has a municipal population of 592,800,[7] and a metro population of 4,038,741.

From 1869 until 1982, Seattle was known as the "Queen City".[8] Seattle's current official nickname is the "Emerald City", the result of a contest held in the early 1980s;[9] the reference is to the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area. Seattle is also referred to informally as the "Gateway to Alaska", "Rain City", and "Jet City", the latter from the local influence of Boeing. Seattle residents are known as Seattleites.