Wadena County, Minnesota Genealogy

Minnesota Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for An old trading post and common Ojibwe name. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County

 * 1858--Wadena County was created 11 June 1858 from Cass and Todd Counties. County seat: Wadena
 * For a brief history of how Wadena County was named, click here, then select Wadena County.

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

 * Becker
 * Cass
 * Hubbard
 * Otter Tail
 * Todd

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

Lutheran
First Lutheran Church, Staples


 * Records of First Lutheran Church, Staples, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wadena


 * Records of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wadena, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wadena


 * Records of Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wadena, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

St. Pauli Lutheran Church, Verndale

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

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

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

Societies and Libraries
Wadena County Historical Society 603 North Jefferson Wadena 56482 Telephone: 218-631-9079 Website

Menahga Area Historical Society 320 Helsinki Boulevard NE Menahga MN 56464 Telephone: 218-564-4574

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Wadena County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)