Pierce County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to Pierce County, North Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Pierce County was named for Gilbert Ashville Pierce, governor of Dakota Territory from 1884 to 1886 and a representative of North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1889 to 1891. The County is located in the north central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pierce County Courthouse 240 2nd Street Rugby, ND 58368 Phone: 701.776.6161 Pierce County Website District Court Clerk has birth, death and burial records from 1943, marriage records from 1888, divorce and court records from 1900, and probate records from 1898; District Court Clerk Website Register of Deeds has land records.

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

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

 * Pierce County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - Alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * North Dakota Biography Index at North Dakota State University Archives - Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased

Cemeteries

 * Odessa Digital Library has cemetery transcriptions for cemeteries in Pierce County, providing name, date of birth, and date of death where available.
 * 1877-1999 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Territory and State Census Records

 * 1836 - 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census – index only; North Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census
 * 1840 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1840 Iowa Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 1885, 1915, 1925 North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 at Ancestry.com – ($), index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of North Dakota starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see North Dakota Census.
 * 1890 Veterans Census, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1910, 1920, 1930 - Pierce County Census Records - images. (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Online Church Records Pierce County Church Histories Lutheran Church
 * Early Churches of Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

Directories

 * 1909 Pierce County Attorneys (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1959 Pierce County Farm Directory (USGenWeb Archives)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Land and Property Records
For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Pierce County BLM Landowner Records by Surname (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * A century of area history : Pierce County and Rugby North Dakota 1886-1986. 1986. [S.l. : s.n.]. Online at: ;.
 * A history of Pierce County compiled in connection with Diamond Jubilee, Rugby, North Dakota. 1961?. S.l. : s.n.,. Online at: ;.
 * Knox area history. 1977. By Thomas Newgard. [S.l. : s.n.]. Online at:;.
 * Pierce County in 2011 : 125 years of history. 2011. [S.l. : s.n.]. Online at:;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb -historical maps

Online Collections
These collections are unique to North Dakota. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and North Dakota Military Records.

Civil War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 - at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 Veterans Census Records, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1917-1918 - North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 - Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * World War I Casualties, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Casualties, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Korean War Casualties, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs North Dakota Newspapers Online
 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank ($)
 * Newspaper Archive ($)
 * Papers from the Past at Community History Archives

Obituaries

 * Pierce County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1878 – 1928 North Dakota and South Dakota, Wills and Probate Records, 1878-1928 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

School Records

 * Early Schools of Pierce County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

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.

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1872-2017 North Dakota, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1872-2017 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Pierce County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records
 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only
 * Pierce County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Websites

 * Pierce County, North Dakota, USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Pierce County, North Dakota, 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.
 * Pierce County, North Dakota Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Pierce County Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Pierce County, North Dakota Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)