Cottonwood County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Cottonwood County, Minnesota ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Minnesota Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the Cottonwood River. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clerk District Court has birth, marriage, death, divorce and court records from 1871.

Parent County

 * 1857--Cottonwood County was created 23 May 1857 from Brown County. County seat: Windom

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:

Neighboring Counties

 * Brown
 * Jackson
 * Martin
 * Murray
 * Nobles
 * Redwood
 * Watonwan

Census
State Census
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1872-1962 - at FamilySearch — index

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1801 - 1999 Minnesota Wills and Probate Records 1801-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth

 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage($) — index
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota Births, 1900-1934 at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 WEB: Minnesota, Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at Ancestry($) — index
 * 1860 - 1949 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage($) — index

Death

 * 1850-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1887-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage($) — index
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota Deaths, 1904-2001 at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)

Societies and Libraries

 * Cottonwood Area Historical Society PO Box 106 Cottonwood, MN 56229
 * Cottonwood County Historical Society 812 4th Avenue Windom, MN 56101 Website
 * Southwest Minnesota History Center Social Science 141 Southwest Minnesota State University 1501 State Street Marshall, MN 56258 Telephone: 507-537-7373 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Cottonwood County GenWeb
 * Cyndi's List: Cottonwood County
 * Cyndi's List: Cottonwood County