Minnesota, Birth and Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes deaths from 1866 to 1916, for the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The records are usually handwritten on a pre-printed form.

Minnesota vital records registration began in 1870, and was the responsibility of each county for the next thirty-seven years. The cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis began keeping death records four years earlier in 1866. In 1907, the state of Minnesota took over the responsibility of keeping birth and death records.

Deaths were recorded to better serve public health needs. They were also used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates. The information recorded about the death is usually reliable, including the cause of death, the name of the attending physician or medical professional, the name and address of the funeral home, and the date and place of burial. The accuracy of other information depends on the reliability of the informant, often a family member.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Full name of deceased
 * Calculated date of birth
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Name of father
 * Name of mother
 * Name of spouse
 * Birth date and place
 * Race
 * Full name of deceased
 * Maiden name (if deceased is a married woman)
 * Sex
 * Age
 * Birthplace
 * Race


 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Cause of death
 * Occupation
 * Nationality of parents
 * Citizenship
 * Name of father
 * Birthplace of father
 * Name of mother
 * Birthplace of mother
 * Single, married, widowed, or divorced
 * Age at the time of marriage
 * Number of children
 * Name and address of informant or person certifying the death

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The place where the death occurred
 * The names of family members and their relationships

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s death 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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Search for an obituary or cemetery record
 * Search for a birth records
 * Use the information found to search the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records
 * Search for probate records

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Consult the Minnesota Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Minnesota.
 * Minnesota Guided Research
 * Minnesota Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.