Chippewa County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Chippewa River. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Chippewa County Courthouse 629 N 11th Street Montevideo, MN 56265 Phone: 320-269-7774 Chippewa County Website Clerk District Court has birth, marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1870. County Recorder has land records from 1870. City Clerks have burial records.

Populated Places
 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:

Biographies

 * Moyer, L.R., and Dale, O.G.; History of Chippewa and Lac qui Parle Counties, Minnesota: their people, industries and institutions, (B.F.Bowen Company, Inc.: Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916); Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library (Vol. 2, Biographies)

Census Records
State Census


 * 1835-1890, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at Ancestry ($); Index
 * 1849-1905, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($); index and images.
 * 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
Lutheran
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1781-1969 All U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 Results at Ancestry ($); index and images.

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, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($); Index.

Local Histories

 * Moyer, L.R., and Dale, O.G.; History of Chippewa and Lac qui Parle Counties, Minnesota: their people, industries and institutions, (B.F.Bowen Company, Inc.: Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916); Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library (Volume 1, history and industries).
 * Narvestad, Carl; and Narvestad, Amy; People of Valdres Samband, 1899-1984, (Tribune Printing: Granite Falls, MN); Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Chippewa County Map at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($); Index

Civil War


 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection); Index
 * 1861-1865, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection); Index and images
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (Free collection); Index
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; Index
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (Free index); Index and images

Spanish-American War
 * 1898-1899, U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry (Free index); Index and images

World War I


 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($); Index and images
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; Index and images

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 ($); Index and images
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($); Index and images

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

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society — narrow to county (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1801-1925, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($); index and images
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Three Minnesota counties are not in this collection: Hennepin, Marshall, and St. Louis.

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.

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 ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Family History Centers

 * Hutchinson Minnesota Family History Center
 * Willmar Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Clara City Library 126 N Main St Clara City, MN 56222 320-847-3535 Email: [mailto:claracity.staff@pioneerland.lib.mn.us claracity.staff@pioneerland.lib.mn.us] Website

Maynard Public Library 331 Mason Ave Maynard, MN 56260 320-367-2143 Website

Milan Public Library 237 N 2nd Street Milan, MN 56262 320-734-4792 Email: [mailto:milan.staff@pioneerland.lib.mn.us milan.staff@pioneerland.lib.mn.us] Website

Montevideo Public Library 224 S First St Montevideo, MN 56265 320-269-6501 Website

Museums
Chippewa County Historical Society Museums PO Box 303 Montevideo, MN 56265 E-mail: [mailto:ChippewaHistory@outlook.com ChippewaHistory@outlook.com] Website

Societies
Chippewa County Historical Society PO Box 303 151 Pioneer Dr (Jct. 7 and 59) Montevideo, MN 56265-0303 320-269-7636 Email: [mailto:ChippewaHistory@outlook.com ChippewaHistory@outlook.com] Website

Websites

 * Chippewa County, MNGenWeb, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * USGenWeb for Chippewa County.
 * Minnesota Historical Society
 * Cyndi's List: Chippewa County
 * 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.