Nicollet County, Minnesota Genealogy

United States

Minnesota

Nicollet County

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

Minnesota Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: St Peter Organized: March 5, 1853 Parent County(s): Dakota Neighboring Counties Blue Earth • Brown • Le Sueur • Renville • Sibley See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for Joseph Nicolas Nicollet. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Nicollet County Courthouse
501 S Minnesota Ave
PO Box 493
St Peter, MN 56082
Phone: 507-931-6800
Nicollet County Website

Clerk District Court has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1856, divorce, probate and court records from 1853.
County Recorder has land records.

Nicollet County, Minnesota Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1870	1856	1870	1853	1853	1853	1836
*Statewide registration started for births in 1900 and deaths in 1908. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

1853--Nicollet County was created 5 March 1853 from Dakota County. County seat: St. Peter Minnesota Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Minnesota Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Minnesota county boundary changes

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:

Cities
Courtland Lafayette	Mankato Nicollet	North Mankato St. Peter
Unincorporated communities
Bernadotte Klossner New Sweden	Norseland North Star Oshawa	St. George Traverse
Townships
Belgrade Bernadotte Brighton Courtland Granby	Lafayette Lake Prairie New Sweden Nicollet Oshawa	Ridgely Traverse West Newton
Ghost towns
West Newton

Resources

Biographies

• Gresham, William G.; History of Nicollet and LeSueur counties, Minnesota (Indianapolis; B.F. Bowen, 1916) Volume 2 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Nicollet County, Minnesota online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	BillionGraves Find a Grave Interment.net Minnesota Gravestones MN Tombstone Transcription Project USGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	FamilySearch Places Find a Grave
See Minnesota Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

For links to Federal, State, and Territorial censuses, see Minnesota Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	3,778	—
1870	8,362	121.3%
1880	12,333	47.5%
1890	13,382	8.5%
1900	14,774	10.4%
1910	14,125	−4.4%
1920	15,036	6.4%
1930	16,550	10.1%
1940	18,282	10.5%
1950	20,929	14.5%
1960	23,196	10.8%
1970	24,518	5.7%
1980	26,929	9.8%
1990	28,076	4.3%
2000	29,771	6.0%
2010	32,727	9.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State Census

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

Church Records

Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information, see Minnesota Church Records.

• FamilySearch Places
  

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Emigration and Immigration

• 1912-1956 Minnesota Passenger and Crew Lists, 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.

Funeral Homes

• Mankato Area Funeral Homes in Mankato and New Mankato.
• Saint Peter Funeral Home in St. Peter.
• Woodland Hills Funeral Home in Mankato.

Land and Property Records

The county register of deeds keeps land records once the land was transferred to private ownership. Abstracts and indexes for these records are generally available at the county courthouse.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• Pre-1908 Minnesota, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Nicollet County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Minnesota Local Histories.

• Gresham, William G.; History of Nicollet and LeSueur counties, Minnesota (Indianapolis; B.F. Bowen, 1916) Volume 1 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, HathiTrust

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• 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, Nicollet County municipality and township maps

Military Records

Multiple Wars

• 1861-1917 United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
• 1862 Civil War era and Dakota War of 1862 at Wikipedia
• 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War

• 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
• 1861-1865 Minnesota, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; 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

Civil War service men from Nicollet County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Nicollet County.

- 1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Companies B, E, and K.

- 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Companies B and M.

- 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company E.

- 4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company H.

- 6th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.

The following Civil War battle was fought in Nicollet County.

• August 20-22, 1862 Fort Ridgely at Wikipedia

Spanish-American War

• 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at Ancestry; Free index
• 1898-1899 Minnesota, U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry; 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, images ($)
• 1918-1941 Minnesota, World War I Records, 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

World War II

• 1940-1947 Minnesota, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry; Free index, images ($)
• 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free collection)
• 1872-1962 Minnesota Naturalization Records and Indexes, 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1880-1920 Minnesota, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
• 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.
• 1800s-Current Minnesota, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

• 1813-Onward Minnesota Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
• 1865-2006 Minnesota, Obituaries 1865-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1891-2003 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Probate Records

Probate records may include wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. They may include the decedent’s date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, etc. See Minnesota Probate Records for additional information.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1801-1925 Minnesota, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($)
• 1849-1985 Minnesota Will Records, 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1856-1983 Probate Index, 1860-1983; Probate Records, 1856-1897; Probate Case Files, ca. 1860-1900(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1858-1960 Minnesota, Nicollet County, Will Records, 1858-1960(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

Since Minnesota tax records include only persons who owned taxable property, many residents were not included. Still they complement land records and can be used in place of missing censuses or the years between censuses. There may also be gaps. For more information, see the wiki page Minnesota Taxation.

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.

A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Minnesota Vital Records.

Birth

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

Marriage

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

Death

• 1850-2001 Minnesota, County Deaths, 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1887-2001 Minnesota Deaths, 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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 Minnesota, U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at Ancestry ($)

Divorce

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

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Nicollet County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
• FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Faribault Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Hutchinson Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Mankato Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Great River Regional Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.
• Waseca County Historical - an affiliate library.
• Willmar Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Nicollet County. For state-wide library facilities, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.

North Mankato Taylor Library
1001 Belgrade Ave
PO Box 2055
North Mankato, MN 56002-2005
Phone: 507-345-5120
Email: kheintz@nmlibrary.org
Website
Facebook

Saint Peter Public Library
601 S Washington Ave
St Peter, MN 56082
Phone: 507-934-7420
Email: lib@saintpetermn.gov
Website
Facebook

University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center
Mankato State University
Memorial Library 2054
601 Maywood Ave
PO Box 8419
Mankato, MN 56002-8419
Phone: 800-722-0544, 507-389-1029
Email: archives@mnsu.edu
Website

Museums

Nicollet County Historical Society Museums
1851 N Minnesota Ave
St Peter, MN 56082-1727
Phone: 507-934-2160
Email: info@nchsmn.org
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Nicollet County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Minnesota Societies.

Nicollet County Historical Society
1851 N Minnesota Ave
St Peter, MN 56082-1727
Phone: 507-934-2160
Email: info@nchsmn.org
Website
Facebook

Websites

• 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.
• Nicollet County, a member of MNGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb Archives.
• FamilySearch Catalog – 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.