Polk County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Polk 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 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
Polk County Courthouse 612 N Broadway Crookston, MN 56716 Phone: 218-281-2332 Polk County Website County Administrator has birth, death, probate, and court records from 1875. County Recorder has land records.

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:

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

 * FamilySearch Places

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

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 ($)

Local Histories

 * Saga of the Thirteen Towns; (McIntosh, Minnesota: Jun 1958) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * McCall, T. M.; Centennial History of Polk County; (Crookston, MN: McGarry Printing Co., 1961) Online at HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Polk County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War
 * 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

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
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * Polk County, Minnesota in the World War; (Ada, Minn.: C.E. Wentsel, 1922) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books, Internet Archive.

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
 * 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 ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Family History Centers

 * Bemidji Minnesota Family History Center
 * Grand Forks North Dakota Family History Center
 * Lake Agassiz Regional Library - Moorhead Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Lake Region Public Library - North Dakota - an affiliate library.
 * Park Rapids Minnesota Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

 * Crookston Public Library 110 N Ash Crookston, MN 56716 Phone: 218-281-4522 Email: [mailto:crookston@larl.org crookston@larl.org] Website
 * Fertile Public Library 101 S Mill St Fertile, MN 56540-0418 Phone: 218-945-6137 Email: [mailto:fertile@larl.org fertile@larl.org] Website
 * Fosston Public Library 403 Foss Ave N Fosston, MN 56542 Phone: 218-435-1320 Email: [mailto:fosston@larl.org fosston@larl.org] Website

Museums

 * Polk County Museum 719 E Robert St Box 214 Crookston, MN 56716-0214 Phone: 218-281-1038 Email: [mailto:polkhistorical@gmail.com polkhistorical@gmail.com] Facebook
 * East Polk Heritage Center / EPHC History Museum 910 Hilligoss Blvd SE P.O. Box 4 Fosston, MN 56542 Phone: 218-435-6136 Email: [mailto:eastpolkheritagecenter@gmail comeastpolkheritagecenter@gmail.com] Website
 * East Grand Forks Heritage Village P.O. Box 281 Highway 220 N and 20th Street NE East Grand Forks, MN 56721 Phone: 218-773-3952 Email: [mailto:Heritage.VillageEGF@gmail.com Heritage.VillageEGF@gmail.com] Website
 * Sand Hill Settlement Historical Society Box 166 415 Riverside Ave Climax, MN 56523 Email: [mailto:phil@gerla.us phil@gerla.us] Website
 * Red River Valley Sugarbeet Museum 1345 Fairfax Ave Crookston, MN 56716 Phone: 218-281-2550 Email: [mailto:adragseth@rrv.net adragseth@rrv.net] Website

Societies

 * Polk County Historical Society 719 E Robert St Crookston, MN 56716 Phone: 218-281-1038 Facebook

Websites

 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center
 * Polk County MNGenWeb, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Polk County at USGenWeb Archives
 * Cyndi's List: Polk County
 * Minnesota Genealogy Trails
 * – 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.