Minnesota Church Records

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Historical Background
The majority of Minnesotans are Protestants, including a large Lutheran contingent, owing to the state's largely Northern European ethnic makeup. Roman Catholics (of largely German, Irish, French and Slavic descent) make up the largest single Christian denomination. A 2010 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life showed that 32 percent of Minnesotans were affiliated with Mainline Protestant traditions, 21 percent were Evangelical Protestants, 28 percent Roman Catholic, 1 percent each Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Black Protestant, and smaller amounts of other faiths, with 13 percent unaffiliated. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, the denominations with the most adherents in 2010 were the Roman Catholic Church with 1,150,367; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 737,537; and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod with 182,439.

Information Found in the Records
To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:

Look for online records.
'''Ancestry.com, Findmypast.com, and MyHeritage.com can be searched free of charge at your local family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FamilySearch Indexes

 * 1798-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only.  Incomplete.
 * 1840-1980 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only.  Incomplete.
 * 1849-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;Index only.  Incomplete.
 * 1835-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only. Incomplete.

Ancestry.com Indexes

 * 1840-1980 Minnesota, Births and christenings Index, 1840-1980 Index only ($)
 * 1849-1950 Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950 Index only ($)
 * 1915-1917 New York, U.S., Frank S. Rowland Church Register, 1889-1917 at Ancestry - images ($)

Dutch Reformed

 * 1639-1989 U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1701-1995 U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947, index and images, incomplete.($)

Presbyterian

 * 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Quaker (Society of Friends)

 * Quaker records : Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota Monthly Meetings, e-book, incomplete.

Other Collections

 * The Ancestor Hunt: Free Minnesota Online Church Records
 * 1856-1913 Early Minnesota church records, 1856-1913, e-book. Incomplete

Look for digital copies of church records in the FamilySearch Catalog.

 * The Family History Library (FHL) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
 * Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
 * If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
 * Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
 * To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of United States, Minnesota.
 * b. Click on Places within United States, Minnesota and a list of counties will appear.
 * c. Click on your county if it appears.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Click on Places within United States, Minnesota [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.
 * f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * h. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

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Consult available finding aids.
These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.
 * Guide to Church Vital Statistics Records in Minnesota: Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals. (Online) St. Paul, Minnesota: Historical Records Survey, 1942. (Family History Library .) This list is by county, then town or city. It mentions the church records of some congregations that existed at the church in 1940 and gives the years that the records were available.
 * Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations in Minnesota (Online). St. Paul, Minnesota: Historical Records Survey, 1941. (Family History Library .) This volume contains an incomplete list of churches; many congregations were missed. Information is arranged first by denomination, then district or conference, then the name of the church. Entries include the address of the church, year of incorporation, and often the name of the minister in 1941.
 * Hage, Anne A., Church Records in Minnesota: A Guide to Parish Records of Congregational, Evangelical, Reformed, and United Church of Christ Churches, 1851–1981. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnesota Conference, United Church of Christ, 1983. (Family History Library .) This source mentions the kinds and dates of records at each church up to 1981.
 * ALC Congregations on Microfilm. Dubuque, Iowa: The Archives, [197–?]. (Family History Library [set of 4.]) No circulation to Family History Centers. Arranged by state and city of congregation. The microfiche number for Minnesota is 6330691. There are over 200 churches listed in Minnesota with the city, name of the church, type of records, county, and their microfilm or microfiche number.
 * Hobart, Chauncey. History of Methodism in Minnesota. 1887. Reprint, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: Park Genealogical Books, 1992. (Family History Library .) This history contains a glossary of terms used in nineteenth-century Methodism and an every-name index to biographies included in the work.
 * Campbell, E. V. History of the Churches of the Presbytery of St. Cloud. St. Cloud, Minnesota: Journal Press, 1907?. (Family History Library .) Gives information about the organization and early life of the Presbyterian Church especially in St. Cloud area.
 * A Church Is Planted: The Story of the Lutheran Minnesota Conference, 1851'1876 Emeroy Johnson, (Minneapolis: Lutheran Minnesota Conference,
 * Catholic Church. Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Official Minnesota Catholic Directory, 1989: Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Diocese of Crookston, Diocese of Duluth, Diocese of New Ulm, Diocese of St. Cloud, Diocese of Winona. St. Paul, Minnesota. The Catholic Bulletin, 1988. (Family History Library .) This directory gives the address and telephone number of each church and includes a list of towns and the diocese to which the town belongs. These directories are updated yearly.

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.
Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher. '''Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to  Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Minnesota Historical Society 345 West Kellogg Blvd St. Paul, MN 55102 Phone: (615)259-3000 Toll-Free: 800-657-3773
 * Church Records Guide
 * Has a good collection of records for Quakers, the Episcopal Church, and the United Church of Christ

The Minnesota Genealogical Society 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100 Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367 Telephone:(651) 330-9312
 * Library Catalog
 * Research Services

Lutheran
ELCA Region3 Archives 2481 Como Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55108-1496 Phone: (651) 641-3205 E-mail:pdaniels@luthersem.edu
 * Archives hold records for closed churches. For open churches write directly to the local church.

Though not a current synodical archives, the Lutheran Church Archives at Gustavus Adolphus College holds administrative records of Minnesota affiliates of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and its predecessors, the Augustana Synod and the United Lutheran Church in America. Predecessor and supporting synods have included the Minnesota Conference and Synod, the Red River Valley Conference and Synod, and the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Northwest. In addition, there are congregational histories, biographical filesregarding clergy and church leaders, andmicrofilmed Swedish Lutheran church records (ending about 1930).

College and Lutheran Church Archivist/Academic Librarian Gustavus Adolphus College 800 West College Avenue St. Peter, MN 56082-1498 Phone:(507) 933-7572 E-mail: archives@gustavus.edu

Roman Catholic
Office of Archives and Records Management Archdiocese of St. Paul Archives 226 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55102 Phone: (651) 291-4400 Fax: (651) 290-1629
 * Contact Form
 * Genealogical Research
 * The archives of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis maintain microfilm copies of baptism, marriage, and death records for most parishes in the counties of Ramsey, Hennepin, Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Washington, and Wright. We do not, as a rule, have copies of first communion, confirmation, or burial records. Sacramental records are not public records. However, the Archdiocese recognizes that sacramental records have value to family historians and we therefore make nearly 100 years’ worth of sacramental records available to genealogists. Records created before January 1, 1920 are available for genealogy research, except in cases where particular records are restricted by canon law. To protect confidentiality, all genealogical research is done by Archives and Records Management staff. No genealogical research is done by parishes. We cannot accommodate on-site researchers. If the sacramental record you are looking for is located in the archdiocesan archives, you will receive a scanned copy of the register entry."

The Archdiocese of St. Paul has records dating back 150 years that include early sacramental records and correspondence between church and government. They also have correspondence from the Catholic Colonization Society based in Chicago. This correspondence deals with finding and placing Catholic immigrants. The Archdiocese includes the counties of: Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Lesueur, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Washington and Wright.

Diocese of New Ulm Archives 1400 6th Street N. New Ulm, MN 56073-2099 Phone: (507) 359-2966 Fax: (507) 354-3667

'''The Diocese of New Ulm has digitized, microfilmed records available at the Family History Library. Search under the name of the county or the town.

The diocese includes the counties of: Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine.

Diocese of Crookston The Chancery Office 1200 Memorial Drive PO Box 610 Crookston, MN 56716 Phone: (218) 281-4533 Fax: (218) 281-3328 The diocese includes the counties of: Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau.
 * Contact the Chancellor's Office for permission to use sacramental records are on microfilm thete.
 * Contact the local parish first.

Diocese of Duluth Archives 2830 East 4th Street Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: (218) 724-9111 Fax: (218) 724-1056 The diocese includes the counties of: Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St. Louis.
 * Research request instructions

Diocese of St. Cloud Archives 214 South 3rd Avenue St. Cloud, MN 56301 Phone: (320) 251-2340 Fax: (320) 251-0470

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1248 St. Cloud, MN 56302
 * Many parish records in the Diocese of St. Cloud have been indexed and are accesible on the computers in the Stearns History Museum in St. Cloud, Minnesota. One can search a single parish or all indexed parishes in one search. These indexes are not online, but staff will conduct searches for you for a fee. Contact the Museum about specific parishes and years indexed.
 * Stearns History Museum 235 33rd Avenue South St. Cloud, MN 56301 Phone: 320.253.8424
 * Contact Us

The diocese includes the counties of: Benton, Douglas, Grant, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pope, Sherburne, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.

Diocese of Winona-Rochester Archives 55 West Sanborn Street Winona, MN 55987 Phone (507) 454-4643 Fax (507) 454-8106

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 588 Winona, MN 55987 The diocese includes the counties of: Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rock, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan, Winona and Wabasha.
 * The Diocese of Winona-Rochester does not maintain sacramental records. For the purposes of genealogy research, please contact the local parish where records are kept.

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.
Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:
 * Society Hill List of Minnesota Societies

Next, go to the Wiki article for your ancestors' denomination.
There are frequently additional, nationwide or regional archives and online collections for each denomination. Find the article for your ancestors' denomination and follow the instructions there to access these sources.

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.