Olmsted County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for David Olmsted. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Olmsted County Courthouse 151 SE 4th Street Rochester, MN 55904 Phone: 507-328-6001 Olmsted County Website Clerk District Court incomplete birth and death records from 1871, marriage records from 1855, divorce records from 1860 and court records form 1858. County Court has probate records. Coroner and Department of Health have burial records.

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:

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at ($)
 * 1849-1905 U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1875 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church Ward and Branch Records
 * Rochester

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

Directories

 * Rochester City Directories 1827–1946 at Rochester Public Library
 * Rochester Suburban Directories 1930-1940 at Rochester Public Library

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1908 Minnesota, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories

 * History of Winona, Olmsted, and Dodge counties together with biographical matter, statistics, etc; (Chicago, Illinois: H.H. Hill, 1884); Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books.
 * Leonard, Joseph A.; History of Olmsted County, Minnesota: together with sketches ...; (Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association Publishers, 1910) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, HathiTrust.
 * History of Olmsted Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, etc.; (Chicago: H.H.Hill and Company, Publishers, 1883) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books.
 * History of Winona and Olmsted Counties: together with biographical matter, ...; (Chicago: H.H.Hill and Company, Publishers, 1883) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books, Internet Archive.
 * Ole & Lena at Norwegians of Dodge and Olmsted, Minnesota, the genealogy and local history of a Norwegian settlement.
 * Minnesota County History Name Index at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Olmsted County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War Civil War service men from Olmsted County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Olmsted County.
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at ; Free index
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry; Free index
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Company I.
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery, Company H.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies A and B.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company L.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies C and K.
 * - 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
 * - 6th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company H.
 * - 8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company D.
 * - 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F
 * - 11th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company H.
 * - Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Companies C and D.

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at ; Free index
 * 1898-1899 U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at ; Free index

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at (Free collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1920 U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at ($)
 * 1918 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society; narrow to county or city, search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 Minnesota, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1855-1955 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1964 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1863-1955 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($); index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1840-1980 U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1935-2000 U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at (Free collection)
 * 1860-1949 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-present Minnesota Official Marriage System at MOMS.mn.gov; search by county, name or date, and request copy.
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Marriage Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage; index ($)

Death

 * 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota People Records Search - Deaths at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1908-2017 U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at ($)

Divorce

 * 1970-1995 U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Austin Minnesota FamilySearch Center
 * Rochester Minnesota FamilySearch Center
 * Rochester Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Waseca County History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries
History Center of Olmstead County 1195 W Circle Dr SW Rochester, MN 55902 Phone: 507-282-9447 Email: [mailto:services@olmstedhistory.com services@olmstedhistory.com] Website Facebook Rochester Public Library 101 2nd St SE Rochester, MN 55904 Phone: 507-328-2300 Email: [mailto:reference@rplmn.org reference@rplmn.org] Website Facebook
 * Rochester Mini-Libraries

Museums
History Center of Olmstead County, Museum Gallery 1195 W Circle Dr SW Rochester, MN 55902 Phone: 507-282-9447 Email: [mailto:services@olmstedhistory.com services@olmstedhistory.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Norwegians of Dodge and Olmsted, Minnesota Website Olmsted County Genealogical Society 1195 W Circle Dr SW PO Box 6411 Rochester, MN 55903 Phone: 507-282-9447 Email: [mailto:olmstedgenealogy@gmail.com olmstedgenealogy@gmail.com] Website Facebook Olmsted County Historical Society 1195 W Circle Dr SW Rochester, MN 55902 Phone: 507-282-9447 Email: [mailto:services@olmstedhistory.com services@olmstedhistory.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Olmsted County, MN, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate ofUSGenWeb Archives.
 * Olmsted County, MN, a member of MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project.
 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.