Minnesota, Death Records and Certificates - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of an index to records from the State Department of Health for the years 1900 to 1955. Deaths were recorded from 1900-1907 without certificate numbers. In 1908, the state began issuing numbered certificates.

Record Content
The index may list any of the following:


 * Name of deceased
 * Age at death
 * Death date
 * Birth date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Calculated date of birth
 * Birth place of parents
 * Parents’ names
 * Spouse name
 * Name of cemetery and/or funeral home
 * Name of informant
 * Residence
 * Occupation
 * Race

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, some tips on how to find records, and what to do if no record is found.

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


 * The name of the person at the time of death
 * Identifying information such as the death date and place

Search the Collection
To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them 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.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
Use the locator information found in the index (to locate your ancestor in the death records from the Minnesota Department of Health in Minneapolis.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * Minnesota Death Certificate Index 1904-2001. This database indexes the death cards from 1904 to 1907 and the death certificates from 1908 to 2001.
 * Minnesota Death Certificate Index 1904-2001

Related Wiki Articles

 * Minnesota, Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Minnesota Death Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Minnesota Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Minnesota, County Deaths (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Minnesota Vital Records
 * Deaths and Burials Vital Record Index Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records).
 * United States, How to Use Death 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:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):