Ward County, North Dakota

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Ward County was established on April 14, 1885 from Bottineau County, the now extinct Renville and Stevens Counties.

The Ward County Seat is situated in Minot and the county government website is http://www.co.ward.nd.us/

Areas next to Ward County are Renville County, McHenry County, McLean County, Mountrail County, Burke County.

Townships include Afton, Anna, Baden, Berthold, Brillian, Burlington, Burt, Cameron, Carbondale, Carpio, Denmark, Des Lacs, Elmdale, Eureka, Evergreen, Foxholm, Freedom, Gasman, Greely, Greenbush, Harrison, Hiddenwood, Hilton, Iota Flat, Kenmare, Kirkelie, Linton, Lund, Mandan, Margaret, Maryland, Mayland, McKinley, Nedrose, New Prairie, Newman, Orlien, Passport, Ree, Rice Lake, Rolling Green, Ruthville, Ryder, St. Marys, Sauk Prairie, Sawyer, Shealy, Spencer, Spring Lake, Sundre, Surrey, Tatman, Tolgen, Torning, Vang, Waterford, Willis.

Ward County does have Federal Census Schedules to help in looking into your family tree. Government Population Schedules are available for 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Ward Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be found for 1890. There are free online in addition to printable census forms to assist with your research.

Ward County Society and Family History Resources

A list of Ward County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• North Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Ward County Historical Society, P. O. Box 994, Minot, ND 58702, 701-838-9679
• Dakota Territory Air Museum, P. O. Box 195 , 100 34th Ave. N.E., Minot, ND 58701-0195, 701-852-8500
• Lake County Historical Society, P. O. Box 83, Kenmare, ND 58746 , 701-385-4248
• Makoti Threshing Association, P. O. Box 11, Makoti, ND 58756-0011, 701-726-5698 or 701-758-2473
• Mouse River Loop Genealogy Society, P. O. Box 1391, Minot, ND 58701-1391
• Railroad Museum of Minot, P. O. Box 74 , Minot, ND 58701-0074, 701-852-7091
• Ryder Historical Society, 20510 184th St. S.W., Ryder, ND 58779, 701-758-2527
• Scandinavian Heritage Association, 1020 S. Broadway, Minot, ND 58701, 701-852-9161
• Ward County, North Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Ward County, North Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Ward County (usgwarchives.net)

Ward County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the value of Ward County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of family history and genealogy information. Buried away in North Dakota courthouses and archives just about everywhere are often the aspirations and worries of countless North Dakota residents. The odds are excellent that your chosen ancestors and forefathers have left a detailed record of at least some elements of their lives in the Ward County court records. Even if your forefathers is not mentioned in a Court case, give some thought to all of the other procedures which may have lead to her or him showing up in court records.

• Ward County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 315 3rd St SE, Minot, ND 58701
  • Phone: (701) 857-6600
• Ward County Register of Deeds / Recorder
  • Land Records: 1885
• Ward County Clerk of Courts
  • Marriage Records: 1888
  • Probate Records: 1885
  • Court Records: 1885
• North Dakota Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in North Dakota for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
  • Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for North Dakota Birth Certificate, Death Certificate Applications. Certified copies of marriage records must be issued by the county where the license was originally filed. Copies of divorce records can only be obtained from the county clerk or recorder in the county in which the divorce filed.

Ward County Links

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Ward County. Feel free to provide your own favorite Ward County genealogy or family history related sites.

Ward Co. ND Books, Newspapers & Publications

• North Dakota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• North Dakota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from North Dakota (1879–1923) (genealogybank.com) Rapidly discover names and key phrases in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices along with other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. All new content and articles added every month!
• Ward County, North Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search North Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Ward County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Ward Co. ND Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• North Dakota Vital Records Research Guide
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Ward Co. ND Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• North Dakota Court Records Research Guide
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Ward Co. ND Census Records

• North Dakota Census Records Research Guide
• Ward County, ND Census Records Links
• Ward County, ND Census QuickFacts

Ward Co. ND Cemeteries & Church Records

• North Dakota Cemetery Research Guide
• Ward Co., North Dakota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Ward County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Ward Co., North Dakota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Ward County, North Dakota
• Ward Co., North Dakota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• North Dakota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Topographic Church List and Map for Ward County, North Dakota
• Ward County, North Dakota Church Books (amazon.com)

Ward Co. ND Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  North Dakota Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Ward Co. ND General and History Websites

• See Also State History for North Dakota
• Ward County, North Dakota Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Ward County, North Dakota Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Ward Co. ND Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Ward County, North Dakota (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – North Dakota – Counties – Ward (cyndislist.com)
• Ward County North Dakota (genealogytrails.com)
• Ward Co. NDGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Ward County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Ward Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Ward Co. ND Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of North Dakota Links and Information
• 1895 Ward County Map (livgenmi.com)

Ward Co. ND Military Records

• North Dakota Military Records Research Guide
• North Dakota Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the North Dakota individuals that served. Just the thing for Ward County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.