Polk County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Polk County, Minnesota ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Minnesota Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the country's 11th president, James K. Polk, who on March 3, 1849, signed the Congressional act organizing the Minnesota Territory. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Administrator has birth, death, probate and court records from 1875. County Recorder has land records.

Parent County
1858--Polk County was created 20 July 1858 from Pembina (Old) County. County seat: Crookston

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties

 * Clearwater
 * Grand Forks County, North Dakota
 * Mahnomen
 * Marshall
 * Norman
 * Pennington
 * Red Lake
 * Traill County, North Dakota
 * Walsh County, North Dakota

Census
State Census
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Lutheran
Elk Valley Lutheran Church, Grand Forks


 * Records of the Elk Valley Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Fisher


 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Fisher, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Fron Lutheran Church, Starbuck


 * Records of the Fron Lutheran Church, Starbuck, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Hafslo Evangelical Lutheran Church, Crookston

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Records of Hafslo Evangelical Lutheran Church, Crookston, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * McCall, T. M. Centennial History of Polk County. Crookston, MN: McGarry Printing Co., 1961. Print.

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1872-1962 - at FamilySearch — index

Obituaries

 * 1865 - 2006 - at FamilySearch— index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1801 - 1999 Minnesota Wills and Probate Records 1801-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 WEB: Minnesota, Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at Ancestry($) — index
 * 1860 - 1949 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage($) — index

Death

 * 1850-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1887-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Online Minnesota Death Records & Indexes

Societies and Libraries
Polk County Historical Society PO Box 214 Crookston 56716-0214 Website

Polk County Historical Society 719 E Robert St Crookston, MN 56716 Telephone: 218-281-1038 Website

Minnkota Genealogical Society PO Box 12744 Grand Forks, ND 58208-274 Website

Red River Valley Genealogical Society PO Box 9284 112 N University Drive Suite L116 Fargo, ND 58106 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Polk County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)