Washington County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for George Washington. The County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse 14949-62nd St N Stillwater, MN 55082 Phone: 651-430-6263 Washington County Website Clerk District Court has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1845, divorce and court records from 1847 and probate records from 1850.

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:

Biographies

 * Washington County Name Index compiled by the Washington County Historical Society (150,000+ records)

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at ($)
 * 1849-1905 U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1875 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Church Records
Lutheran 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1908 Minnesota, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Washington County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars Civil War Civil War service men from Washington County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Washington County.
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at ; Free index
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry; Free index
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company B.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies B and F.
 * - 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K.
 * - 6th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
 * - 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.
 * - 8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at ; Free index
 * 1898-1899 U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at ; Free index

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry; Free index, images($)
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry; Free index, images($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at (Free collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1920 U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at ($)
 * 1918 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society; narrow to county or city, search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at ; index and images ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Three Minnesota counties are not in this collection: Hennepin, Marshall, and St. Louis.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($); index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1840-1980 U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1935-2000 U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at (Free collection)
 * 1860-1949 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-present Minnesota Official Marriage System at MOMS.mn.gov; search by county, name or date, and request copy.
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Marriage Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage; index ($)

Death

 * 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota People Records Search - Deaths at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1908-2017 U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at ($)

Divorce

 * 1970-1995 U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Archives

 * Historical Records Survey (Minnesota), Works Progress Administration Inventory of the county archives of Minnesota, no. 82, Washington County (Stillwater). 1938. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Family History Centers

 * Lakeville Minnesota Family History Center
 * Minneapolis Minnesota Family History Center
 * Oakdale Minnesota Family History Center
 * St Paul Minnesota Family History Center
 * Hennepin County Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library.
 * Minnesota Genealogical Society - an affiliate library.
 * Minnesota Historical Society - an affiliate library.
 * Ramsey County Public Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library.
 * University of Minnesota Libraries - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Washington County Library 8595 Central Park Pl Woodbury, MN 55125 Phone: 651-275-8500 Website Stillwater Public Library 224 Third St N Stillwater, MN 55082 Phone: 651-275-4338 Email: [mailto:splinfo@ci.stillwater.mn.us splinfo@ci.stillwater.mn.us] Website

Museums
Washington County Historical Society Museums & Research Center P.O. Box 167 Stillwater, MN 55082 Phone: 651-439-5956 Email: [mailto:information@wchsmn.org information@wchsmn.org] Website Afton Historical Museum 3165 St Croix Trail S Afton, MN 55001 Phone: 651-436-3500 Email: [mailto:stan@rossdesigninc.com stan@rossdesigninc.com] Website Woodbury Heritage House and Garden 8025 Lake Road Woodbury, MN 55125 Phone: 651-714-3564 Email: [mailto:heritagesociety@ci.woodbury.MN.us heritagesociety@ci.woodbury.MN.us] Facebook

Societies
Afton Historical Society 3165 St Croix Trail S P.O. Box 178 Afton, MN 55001 Phone: 651-436-3500 Email: [mailto:stan@rossdesigninc.com stan@rossdesigninc.com] Website Washington County Historical Society P.O. Box 167 602 N Main St Stillwater MN 55082-0167 Phone: 651-439-5956 Email: [mailto:information@wchsmn.org information@wchsmn.org] Website South Washington Heritage Society 1221 Summit Ave St Paul Park, MN 55071-1445 Website Denmark Township Historical Society 14008 90th Street S Hastings, MN 55033 Phone: 612-616-2519 Email: [mailto:valdavan@msn.com valdavan@msn.com] Website Hugo Historical Commission 14669 Fitzgerald Ave N Hugo, MN 55038 Phone: 651-762-6300 Website Marine Historical Society 241 5th Street Marine on Saint Croix, MN 55047 Phone: 651-433-3636 Email: [mailto:jdeagleton@excite.com jdeagleton@excite.com] Facebook Marine Restoration Society P.O. Box 131 Marine on Saint Croix, MN 55047 Email: [mailto:marinerestosociety@gmail.com marinerestosociety@gmail.com] Facebook Woodbury Heritage Society 8301 Valley Creek Rd Woodbury, MN 55125 Phone: 651-714-3564 Email: [mailto:heritagesociety@ci.woodbury.MN.us heritagesociety@ci.woodbury.MN.us] Facebook

Websites

 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
 * Washington County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb Archive
 * Washington County, a member of MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project.
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.