Pembina County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to Pembina County, North Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Pembina County name "Pembina" is derived from the Chippewa Indian term for high bush cranberry which grew in abundance along the Pembina River. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pembina County Courthouse 301 Dakota St W #6 Cavalier, ND 58220 Phone: 701.265.4275 Pembina County Website District Court Clerk has birth and death records from 1893, marriage records from 1882, divorce, court, and probate records from 1883, military records from 1945, and burial records from 1943; Register of Deeds has land records.

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:

American Indian reservations
 * Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
 * Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians

Biographies

 * Pembina County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - Alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * Index to Pembina County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * North Dakota Biography Index at North Dakota State University Archives - Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased
 * North Dakota, Biography Records at MyHeritage — index & images($)

Cemeteries

 * 1877-1999 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Census Records

 * 1850, 1860, 1870, 1883, 1885, 1890, 1910 Links to Pembina County Census Records (USGenWeb Project)

Territory and State Census Records

 * 1836 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census – index only; North Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census
 * 1840 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1840 Iowa Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1880 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 1885, 1915, 1925 North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 at Ancestry – ($), index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of North Dakota starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see North Dakota Census.
 * 1870, 1880 Mortality Schedules, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Index to Pembina County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Online Church Records Pembina County Church Histories Lutheran Church
 * Church Records, Pembino County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Pembina County Churches (USGenWeb Project)
 * 1875-1940 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * Records of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, Drayton, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * Thingvalla Lutheran Church (Icelandic)

Directories

 * Index to Pembina County Directories and Historical Names. Scroll down to "History." (USGenWeb Archives)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Funeral Homes

 * Askew Funeral Home in Cavalier and Walhalla

Land and Property Records
For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Pembina County BLM Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861 - 1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry - ($), index and images
 * 1893 Pembina County Landowners List, 1893 (USGenWeb Project)

Local Histories

 * 1880-1920 A-Z Index of Pembina County Surnames (USGenWeb Archives)
 * The Icelandic settlement of Pembina County, Johnson, Sveinbjorn
 * City of Pembina history and links
 * The Dakota Icelanders Project
 * The Emigration from Iceland to North America
 * Early history of Carlisle pioneers. 2001. By Allen Eastman. PubPl: PubCo. Online at:;.
 * Fondly we remember : a history of Hamilton, Carlisle and Glasston communities. 1980. By fname lname. Grafton-Grand Forks, North Dakota : Associated Printers. Online at:;.
 * Heritage '76; Pembina County, North Dakota, "Then and now", 1776-1976. 1975. By Pembina County Historical Society (Cavalier, North Dakota). Cavalier, North Dakota : Pembina County Historical Society. Online at:;.
 * Heritage '89; Pembina County, North Dakota, "Then and now", 1889-1989. 1988. By Pembina County Historical Society (Cavalier, North Dakota). Cavalier, North Dakota : Pembina County Historical Society..
 * A History of Pembina County. 1967. By Pembina Centennial Committee. [S.l.] : Pembina Centennial Committee. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * The Icelandic settlement of Pembina County. n.d. By Sveinbjorn Johnson. n.p.: n.p. Online at:.
 * Pembina settlement heritage : a history of the Pembina, North Dakota area. 1976. By Pembina Settlement Heritage Book Committee. [Pembina] : Pembina Settlement Heritage Book Committee..
 * Proudly we speak; a history of Neche, Bathgate, Bruce and Hyde Park. 1974?. Neche, North Dakota : Neche/Bathgate History Book Committee. Online at:;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb -historical maps

Online Collections
These collections are unique to North Dakota. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and North Dakota Military Records.

Civil War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Pensioners on the Rolls as of January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1917-1918- North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * World War I Casualties, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Casualties, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Korean War Casualties, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Pembina County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1956 - (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1924 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870-1968 North Dakota, Naturalizations, 1870-1968 at MyHeritage — index & images($)
 * 1881-1955 - (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1907-1955 - (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs North Dakota Newspapers Online
 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank ($)
 * Newspaper Archive ($)
 * Papers from the Past at Community History Archives

Obituaries

 * Pembina County Obituaries and Death Records (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1800–1985 North Dakota and South Dakota Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

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.

Tax Records

 * 1873 Pembina County Personal Property Valuation 1873 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1874 Pembina County Personal Property Valuation 1874 (USGenWeb Archives)

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1872-2017 North Dakota, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1872-2017 at Ancestry - index & images($)
 * 1886-1903 Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Church Pembina, North Dakota, Marriages 1886-1903 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1894 Pembina County Marriage Licenses Issued, 1894 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Pembina County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1892-present NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only
 * Pembina County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)
 * Pembina County Obituaries. Scroll down to "Obituaries." (USGenWeb Archives)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bismarck North Dakota FamilySearch Center
 * Fargo North Dakota FamilySearch Center
 * Grand Forks North Dakota FamilySearch Center
 * Minot North Dakota FamilySearch Center


 * Lake Region Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Lake Agassiz Regional Library - Moorhead Public Library - an affiliate library

Museums
Pembina County Historical Museum 13572 Hwy 5 Cavalier, ND 58220 701-265-4941 Email: [mailto:pchsm@polarcomm.com pchsm@polarcomm.com] Facebook

Societies
Fort Pembina Historical Society 163 Chippewa Street West Pembina, ND 58271 Facebook

Ox Cart Trails Historical Society Inc. PO Box 263 Drayton, ND 58225-0263 701-454-6103 Website

Pembina County Historical Society 13572 Hwy 5 Cavalier, ND 58220 701-265-4941 Email: [mailto:pchsm@polarcomm.com pchsm@polarcomm.com] Facebook

Websites

 * Pembina County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Pembina County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Pembina County at North Dakota USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Pembina County at North Dakota USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Pembina County, North Dakota at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Pembina County, North Dakota Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
 * 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.