Search Hennepin County Genealogy Records
Hennepin County genealogy records are held at the Government Center in Minneapolis and through the Hennepin County Library, Minnesota Historical Society, Hennepin County MNGenWeb, and state archives. As the most populous county in Minnesota, Hennepin has an extensive range of records covering births, deaths, marriages, naturalization, land transactions, and census data for families from across the Minneapolis area.
Hennepin County Overview
Hennepin County Recorder
The Hennepin County Recorder is located at the Government Center at 300 S 6th St in Minneapolis. This office holds vital records including birth certificates, death records, and marriage licenses for the county, along with land and deed records. For certified copies of birth and death records, you can also contact the Minnesota Department of Health, which holds statewide records from 1900 and 1908 respectively.
Hennepin County's large population means its record holdings are extensive. Marriage records at the county level go back to the mid-1800s. Land records are similarly deep, reflecting decades of property transfers in the Minneapolis metro area.
| Office | Hennepin County Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 S 6th St, Minneapolis, MN |
| Records Held | Birth, death, marriage, land records |
| County Website | hennepin.us |
| State Vital Records | Minnesota Department of Health |
Hennepin County Library Genealogy Collections
The Hennepin County Library Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library holds one of the largest genealogy collections in the Twin Cities. Resources include local newspapers going back to the 1800s, city directories, photograph collections, and reference materials specific to Minneapolis and Hennepin County. The library's genealogy section is particularly strong for urban research where you need to track a family through city records over many decades.
Library genealogy resources are free to use during library hours. Staff can assist with basic research questions and help you navigate the collection. If you are researching families in Minneapolis or any of Hennepin County's cities and suburbs, starting at the library can save considerable time before reaching out to the county recorder or state archives.
The Hennepin County Library also provides access to databases like Ancestry.com and other genealogy subscription services from within library branches, making premium records available at no cost.
| Organization | Hennepin County Library Genealogy |
|---|---|
| Location | Minneapolis Central Library (Special Collections) |
| Website | hclib.org/genealogy |
| Collections | Newspapers, city directories, photographs, reference materials |
Hennepin County MNGenWeb
The Hennepin County MNGenWeb site is a free online genealogy resource coordinated by Martha as part of the statewide MNGenWeb project. The site includes transcribed records, biographies, maps, vital records, cemetery data, obituaries, military records, and Native American resources for Hennepin County. It also links to crime and punishment records, which can be useful for researchers tracing ancestors through the county's legal history.
Minneapolis newspapers are a special resource for Hennepin County research. The MNGenWeb site links to extensive newspaper collections that include the Minneapolis Tribune and other local papers going back to the county's earliest years. These papers contain obituaries, legal notices, property listings, and family announcements not found in other record types.
The Hennepin County MNGenWeb page connects to FamilySearch historical images for the county and to the broader Minnesota Historical Society collections relevant to Hennepin County families.
The Hennepin County MNGenWeb site provides free access to transcribed records, obituaries, and contributed family research for Minnesota's most populous county.
Hennepin County Government
The Hennepin County Government website is a good starting point for finding the right office for your specific records request. The county has multiple departments dealing with court records, property records, vital records, and historical files, and the website can help you navigate to the right place.
The Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis is the main hub for vital records, probate filings, court documents, and land records serving the Minneapolis metropolitan area.
Hennepin County Library Genealogy Resources
Beyond its own collections, the Hennepin County Library genealogy department connects researchers to the broader library system's digital resources. This includes access to Ancestry.com and other subscription genealogy databases that you can use in person at any branch. The library's newspaper archive goes back to early Minneapolis papers and can fill gaps left by official records.
The Hennepin County Library's genealogy resources at Minneapolis Central Library include newspapers, directories, photographs, and free access to subscription genealogy databases during library hours.
Available Genealogy Records
Hennepin County has the most extensive set of genealogical records of any Minnesota county, reflecting its large and diverse population. Key record types include the following.
- Vital records: birth, death, marriage (County Recorder, MDH)
- Naturalization records (Minnesota Historical Society)
- Obituaries and newspaper archives (Library, MNGenWeb, MHS)
- Military records (MNGenWeb, MHS)
- Census records 1850 to 1940 (FamilySearch, Ancestry)
- Land and property records (County Recorder)
- Probate records (County Courthouse)
- Native American resources (MNGenWeb)
The Minnesota Historical Society collections are especially valuable for Hennepin County research given the proximity of MHS to Minneapolis and the deep ties between the two institutions over many decades.
How to Search Hennepin County Records
Start with the MHS People Records Search at the Minnesota Historical Society. This free tool covers birth records from 1900 to 1934, death records from 1904 to 2001, and state census data from 1849 to 1905. For a county as large as Hennepin, this can help you confirm identity details quickly.
For marriage records, the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) covers Hennepin County and lets you search by name, county, or date. Certified copies can be ordered online. For naturalization records, the MHS holds state-level naturalization files that cover many Hennepin County immigrants from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Census records for Hennepin County from 1850 to 1940 are at FamilySearch and Ancestry.com. City directories from the Hennepin County Library can help locate ancestors between census years. The BLM GLO Records site has original land patents for Hennepin County.
Note: Hennepin County's crime and punishment records listed on MNGenWeb may help researchers trace ancestors who had contact with the county's justice system.
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society Library in St. Paul is just across the river from Minneapolis and holds the state's most complete collection of naturalization records, military files, and historical newspapers. For Hennepin County researchers, MHS is an essential resource. The society's People Records Search is free and covers the key vital record indexes for the state.
MHS also maintains the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, which includes searchable Minneapolis papers going back to the mid-1800s. These papers are invaluable for urban genealogy research in Hennepin County.
Cities in Hennepin County
Hennepin County includes several large cities that have their own genealogy pages on this site. These cities are served by the same county-level records but may have city-specific resources worth checking.
Nearby Counties
Hennepin County's neighbors are part of the Twin Cities metro area and may hold records for families who moved across county lines.