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The Minnesota Historical Society hosts this online index of Minnesota Territorial and State Census Records to provide wider access to these important historical records. The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide further details about this project.
What is a state census and how does it differ from the federal census?
Beginning in 1865, the state of Minnesota conducted a population census on the fifth year between Federal censuses. This practice continued in 1875, 1885, 1895 and 1905. Like the U.S. Census they are organized geographically, and the content may vary from year to year.
What information can I find on the census?
The answer to this question depends on the year. They include as follows:
- 1865 – Name; sex; race; disabilities; soldier in service on June 1, 1865
- 1875 – Name; sex; race; birthplace (state or country), birthplaces of father and mother
- 1885 – Name; age; sex; race; birthplace (state or country), father and mother of foreign birth; disabilities; soldier in Federal Army during the Civil War.
- 1895 – Name; age; sex; race; birthplace (state or country); length of residence in state and in enumeration district of males over 21; occupation; soldier or sailor in the Civil War; father and mother of foreign birth.
- 1905 – Name; address; sex; age; race; birthplace (state or country); birthplaces of mother and father (state or country); length of residence in state and in enumeration district (years and months); occupation; soldier or sailor in Spanish-American or Civil War.
How do I order copies of state census records?
You may use this site to search for and identify any Minnesota State Census copies that you wish to order. Once you are ready to purchase your selected census record(s), our online store will safely and securely process your transaction. The price for each non-certified record is $9.00, plus sales tax if applicable.
Once the transaction has been processed, you will receive an e-mail notification explaining how to retrieve your records electronically. This e-mail will provide a link to the record(s). Click on the link to view the record. This link will be accessible for 72 hours following the initial e-mail notification.
For patrons who chose to mail in their payment, they will have to wait until we receive their payment and process the order (approximately 3-5 business days). Once the order is filled by our staff, an e-mail notification will be sent to the customer instructing them on how to access their census records through the Society’s web site. The record(s) will be accessible for 72 hours following the e-mail notification.
The Minnesota Historical Society does not mail out paper copies of state census records. All orders are made available over the Internet through the Society’s web site. As an alternative, you may use the dedicated computer terminals located in the Minnesota Historical Society Library in St. Paul to search and print copies for $.20 per page, or search for and print copies of the census records directly from the microfilm for $.35 per page.
Why can’t I find the name of someone I know should be on the census?
Creating an index is an inexact science and errors in reading and transcription can occur. It is also possible for indexers to skip a name. Enumerators (census takers) also made mistakes in taking down information. This kind of error was not uncommon in ethnic communities where the enumerator did not understand the language. Trying variant spellings or using the Soundex search option (see below) can be helpful in surmounting these problems. In fact the Soundex was created for the Federal Census. If you have tried a number of options without success you can request our staff to make an in-depth census search.
How do I search the Minnesota State Census Index?
The search screen allows you to enter last name, first name, county and location (township or city) as well as census id number. A pull-down menu to the left of the name fields allows you to use a number of alternative searches such as “starts with”, “includes” and “ends with”. These are very handy with unusual or inexact spellings. Buttons for Soundex searches are indicated below the search boxes. Note that the alternative searches do not work with the Soundex options.
What is Soundex and how can it help me?
Soundex is an indexing system based on how a surname sounds rather than how it is spelled. This system enables one to search for a name even if it was recorded with a variety of spellings. By selecting one of the Soundex options on the search screen, this function will be performed automatically. If you wish to perform your own Soundex conversions, try our Soundex tool.
This index gives the researcher the choice of using either the traditional Soundex system or the Extended Soundex system. The traditional system is based on the first letter of the last name, so it is crucial that this letter is known and has been correctly transcribed from documents. Occasionally, letters such as ‘I’ and ‘J’ are misread from paper documents and then incorrectly entered into the database. In such cases, the traditional Soundex system will not be useful.
The Extended Soundex system, however, assigns a numeric code to the first letter and to later consonants. Because the code consists of only six numbers and there are 20 consonants in the alphabet, it is likely that a number will represent more than one letter. Therefore, a search for a surname that begins with one letter could result in surnames that begin with other letters. For example, the results of a search for the name “Jenson” would also include “Swenson” because the Extended Soundex program would similarly code the two names.
Are there any census records with unusual or limited returns?
Yes, the 1849 census was taken soon after Minnesota became a territory before any of its current counties had been organized. For the census the territory was divided into six districts: 1) St. Croix County, 2)La Point County, 3)the country west of the Mississippi River south of the Osakis Rapids, 4) the country west of the Mississippi River north of the Osakis Rapids, 5)the Red River of the North country and 6) settlements on the Missouri River. The last two districts include areas that later became part of North Dakota and South Dakota while the first two counties were originally part of Wisconsin Territory. The information on this census was also limited since it followed the form of earlier U.S. Censuses, listing only the names of heads of households and little other information.
The 1853 census seems to have included only Washington County (mostly Stillwater) and Dakota (spelled Decota on the original) County. Members of each family are listed sequentially on this record.
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