St. Louis County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to St. Louis 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 St. Louis River. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
St. Louis County Courthouse 100 North 5th Avenue West Duluth, MN 55802-1202 Phone: 218-726-2000 St. Louis County Website Clerk District Court has birth, death and marriage records from 1870, burial permits from 1938, divorce, court and land records from 1859. County Court has probate 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 Ward and Branch Records
 * Duluth

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

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

 * Van Brunt, Walter. Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota : their story and people; an authentic narrative of the past, with, Vol. 2.  American Historical Society, Chicago, 1921. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Woodbridge, Dwight Edwards., Pardee, John Stone. History of Duluth and St. Louis county, past and present; v. 01 and 02. C.F. Cooper and Company, Chicago, 1910. Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Louis County municipality and township maps

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


 * 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

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, images ($)
 * 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, 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 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)
 * 1948-Present - Duluth Public Library has an Index to Obituaries printed in the Duluth News Tribune newspaper from 1948 to the present.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at ; index and images ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; 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
 * 1870-2000 St. Louis County Death Certificate Index at Duluth Public Library
 * 1870-2000 St. Louis County Death Record Index (Rootsweb)
 * 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

 * Duluth Minnesota Family History Center
 * Virginia Minnesota Family History Center
 * Ironwood Carnegie Public Library - Michigan - an affiliate library.
 * Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Duluth Public Library Main Library 520 W Superior St Duluth, MN 55802 Phone: 218-730-4200 Website Arrowhead Library System Main Library 5528 Emerald Ave Mountain Iron, MN 55768 Phone: 218-741-3840 Email: [mailto:als@alslib.info als@alslib.info] Website Kathryn A. Martin Library University of Minnesota 416 Library Dr Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-8102 Email: [mailto:libaskus@d.umn.edu libaskus@d.umn.edu] Website

Museums
St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center 506 W Michigan St Duluth, MN 55802 Phone: 218-727-8025 Email: [mailto:kenbuehler@aol.com kenbuehler@aol.com] Website Minnesota Discovery Center 1005 Discovery Dr Chisholm, MN 55719 Phone: 218-254-7959 Email: [mailto:info@mndiscoverycenter.com info@mndiscoverycenter.com] Website Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum 902 East 1st Street Duluth, MN Website

Societies

 * St. Louis County Historical Society 506 W Michigan St Duluth, MN 55802-1505 Phone: 218-733-7580 Website
 * Canosia Historical Society 5508 Martin Road Duluth, MN 55811 Phone: 218-729-8963 Email: [mailto:wwsIII@msn.com wwsIII@msn.com] Website
 * Twin Ports Genealogical Society P.O. Box 16895 Duluth, MN 55816-0895 Phone: 218-206-7880 Email: [mailto:contact@proctorhistory.org contact@proctorhistory.org] Website
 * Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Duluth Public Library 500 Superior St Northshore Room Duluth, MN Email: [mailto:edwardcnewman@juno.com edwardcnewman@juno.com] Website
 * Britt Community Historical Society Box 154 Virginia, MN 55792 Email: [mailto:info@britthistory.org info@britthistory.org] Website
 * Ely-Winton Historical Society 1900 Camp St E Ely, MN 55731 Phone: 218-365-3226 Email: [mailto:ewhs@vcc.edu ewhs@vcc.edu] Facebook
 * Eveleth Heritage Committee P.O. Box 555 Eveleth, MN 55734 Email: [mailto:evelethheritagecommittee@gmail.com evelethheritagecommittee@gmail.com] Website
 * Hermantown Historical Society 5255 Maple Grove Rd Hermantown, MN 55811 Phone: 218-499-5966 Facebook
 * Hibbing Historical Society 400 East 23rd Street Hibbing, MN 55746-1923 Phone: 218-263-8522 Email: [mailto:hibbinghistory@mchsi.com hibbinghistory@mchsi.com] Website
 * Iron Range Historical Society 5454 Grand Ave McKinley, MN 55741 Phone: 218-749-3150 Email: [mailto:ironrangehistsoc@gmail.com ironrangehistsoc@gmail.com] Website
 * Proctor Area Historical Society 100 Pionk Drive Proctor, MN 55810 Phone: 218-206-7880 Email: [mailto:contact@proctorhistory.org contact@proctorhistory.org] Website
 * SISU Heritage, Inc. P.O. Box 127 Embarrass, MN 55732 Phone: 218-984-3012 Email: [mailto:info@sisuheritage.org info@sisuheritage.org] Website
 * Tower-Soudan Historical Society P.O. Box 465 404 Pine St Tower, MN 55790 Phone: 218-753-5021 Email: [mailto:tshistory@accessMN.com tshistory@accessMN.com] Website
 * Virginia Area Historical Society 800 Ninth Ave N P.O. Box 736 Virginia, MN 55792 Phone: 218-741-1136 Email: [mailto:virginiamnhistory@gmail.com virginiamnhistory@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * St Louis County, 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.
 * St. Louis County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb Archives.
 * – 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.