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Minnesota Research Tips and Strategies

Minnesota Wiki Topics
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Beginning Research
Record Types
Minnesota Background
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Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

The Minnesota Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for Minnesota. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.

Minnesota Research Strategies

Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in Minnesota:

Finding Minnesota Birth, Marriage or Death Records

Finding Minnesota Records

Minnesota Statewide Databases

Minnesota Research Process

Minnesota Research Tips

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Minnesota:

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide registration: The state began registering births and deaths in 1900, with full compliance by 1915.[1]
  • Local registration: Some counties began recording births as early as 1870, but registration was inconsistent.[2]
  • Access to records: See Minnesota Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Minnesota.


Substitute Records:

  • Secondary source: Substitute records are used when primary sources do not exist for an event, such as birth, marriage, and deaths. Secondary sources list information about the event but they were not recorded at the time of the event and they are not an official record of the event.
  • Accuracy: Because the information about an event in substitute records was not the official recording of the event (such as, cemetery or obituary records) inaccuracy may occur. Use other substitute records to help verify information.
  • List of substitute records: See Minnesota Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: Death records created by the state starting in 1900 required information on parents of the deceased. Information was not always provided and the accuracy of the information was limited by the grieving relatives' memory.
  • Obituaries: Official obituaries can also include the names of parents and other family members. See Minnesota Newspapers and Minnesota Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Minnesota Church Records for more information.


Census Records:

  • Check all census years: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census to learn more about them and their family members. See Minnesota Census Records for more information.
  • Clues to other records: There are clues in censuses regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records.
  • Finding families: Starting in 1850, all members of the household were listed in the census. By 1880, relationship to the head of household was added.

Further Minnesota Research

References

  1. ↑ Minnesota Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 2000, 34. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). Online at: BYU University - Provo
  2. ↑ Minnesota Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 2000, 34. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). Online at: BYU University - Provo
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