Washington County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Washington 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 George Washington. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
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.

Parent County

 * 1849--Washington County was created 27 October 1849 from St. Croix County in Wisconsin Territory.

County seat: Stillwater


 * For a brief history of how Washington County was named, click here, then select Washington 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

 * Anoka
 * Chisago
 * Dakota
 * Pierce County, Wisconsin
 * Polk County, Wisconsin
 * Ramsey
 * St. Croix County, Wisconsin

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

Lutheran
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Lake Elmo


 * Records of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Lake Elmo, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Washington County

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Washington County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

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.


 * - 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.

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 $

Birth

 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage($) — index

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
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Afton Historical Society 3165 St. Croix Trail South PO Box 178 Afton, MN 55001 Telephone: 651-436-3500 Website

Washington County Historical Society PO Box 167 602 North Main St Stillwater MN 55082-0167 Telephone: 651-439-5956 Website

South Washington Heritage Society 1221 Summit Ave. St. Paul Park, MN 55071-1445 Website

Family History Centers

 * Oakdale Minnesota Family History Center

Websites

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