Minnesota, County Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1850-1999.

The records include death records from Minnesota county courthouses. The record content and the time period varies by county. Death records from Minnesota county courthouses. The record content and the time period varies by county.

Record Content
These records may contain any of the following:


 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Birth place
 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Parents' names
 * Race
 * Gender
 * Marital status
 * Ages
 * Occupations
 * Parents' places of birth
 * Cause of death

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The approximate date the event occurred.
 * The name of the primary individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom, the infant, or the deceased.

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒ Select the appropriate 'County' ⇒ Select the appropriate 'Record Type, Date Range and Volume' which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the names and relationships as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the names and residence or place to find the family in census records and to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records.
 * Compiling the entries for every person who has the same surname as the primary individuals is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning or end of each volume. In addition, local historical and genealogical societies may have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites
Minnesota Historical Society

Related Wiki Articles
Minnesota Vital Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: