Aitkin County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for William Alexander Aitken, a fur trader for the American Fur Company, under John Jacob Astor. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Aitkin County Government 209 2nd Street NW Aitkin, MN 56431-1297 Phone: 218.927.218.927.7336

Clerk District Court has birth records from 1883, marriage records from 1885, death records from 1887, divorce records from 1886, probate, court and naturalization records from 1885. County Recorder has land records.

History

 * Crow Wing County was formed later same day from Aitkin County.
 * Named for William Alexander Aitkin, a fur trader for the American Fur Company, under John Jacob Astor. A brief history of William Alexander Aitkin can be found on the Minnesota Historical Society Place Name page.  (Select Aitkin County.)
 * The county originally had 17 townships closest to the Mille Lacs Lake.

Parent County

 * 1857--Aitkin County was created 23 May 1857 from Pine and Ramsey Counties. County seat: Aitkin

Boundary Changes

 * Sometime between 1857 and 1871, the county acquired the out-lands of Itasca and Pine Counties to its north and east.
 * The county was reorganized in 1871, taking the lands from Cass and Itasca counties and losing a point located in southwest corner to Crow Wing county.

For animated maps illustrating Minnesota County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Minnesota County Boundary Maps" (1849-1960) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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
Carlton | Cass | Crow Wing | Itasca | Kanabec | Mille Lacs | Pine | St. Louis |

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

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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 $

Marriage

 * 1860 - 1949 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1850-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1887-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries

 * Aitkin County Historical Society PO Box 215 20 Pacific St Aitkin, MN 56431 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Minnesota Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Minnesota Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Aitkin County MNGenWeb Project, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Cyndi's List: Aitkin County
 * Cyndi's List: Aitkin County