Lake County, Minnesota
Genealogy, History & Facts

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

Lake County, Minnesota Facts

When was Lake County, MN Created?
Lake County was founded on March 1, 1856 from Itasca County.

What is the County Seat of Lake County, MN?
The County Seat is located in Two Harbors and the county government website is http://www.co.lake.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Lake County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Ontario Province, Canada, Cook County, Ashland County, Wisconsin, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, Douglas County, Wisconsin, St. Louis County.

Lake County, MN Vital Records

Where can find Lake County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Lake County vital records can be found at the Minnesota Office of Vital Records which has copies of birth resords from 1900 and death records from 1908. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Minnesota for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Lake County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Minnesota Birth Certificate and Death Certificates Applications to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• Minnesota, Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980
• Minnesota, County Birth Records, 1863-1983
• Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002
• Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950
• Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995
• Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2002
• Minnesota, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990

Lake County, MN Census Records

What Lake County, MN census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Lake County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Lake Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lake Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lake Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890.

Lake Co. territorial and state censuses exist for the years 1849-1905.. There is free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Minnesota Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Minnesota Census, 1835-90
• Lake County, MN Census Records Link
• Lake County, MN Census QuickFacts

Lake County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Lake County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Lake County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Lake County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Minnesota courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Minnesota residents.

The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Lake County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Minnesota Corthouse Records Research Guide.

• Lake County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 601 Third Avenue, Two Harbors , MN 55616
  • Phone: (218) 834-8330
• Lake County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1891
  • Marriage Records: 1888
  • Land Records: ?
• Lake County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: ?
  • Court Records: 1874
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Lake County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Lake County, MN?
A list of Lake County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Minnesota Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Lake County Historical Society, PO Box 128, 520 South Ave, Two Harbors MN, Phone: 218 834-4898
• Bay Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 33, 80 Outer Dr, Silver Bay, MN 55614; (218) 226-3143
• Historical Committee of the Isabella Community Council, PO Box 500, 9521 Lankinen Rd, Isabella MN, Phone: 218 323-7644
• Finland Minnesota Historical Society, PO Box 583, 5653 Little Marais Road, Finland, MN 55603-0583; Phone: 218 353-7380
• Northeast Minnesota Historical Center, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Library 375, Duluth, MN 55812
• Minnesota State Archives, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3260
• Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N. Suite 218, South St. Paul, MN 55075-1187
• Minnesota Historical Society, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 . 651-259-3000

Where can I connect with other Lake County, MN Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Minnesota Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
• Minnesota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Lake County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Lake County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Lake County, MN?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Lake County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a fee. This is simply a list which has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Lake Co. MN Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Minnesota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Minnesota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Minnesota (1849 – 1922) (genealogybank.com)
• Lake County, Minnesota Books (amazon.com)
• Search Minnesota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Lake County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Lake Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

• Minnesota Cemetery Research Guide
• Lake Co., Minnesota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Lake County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties  (search.ancestry.com)
• Lake Co., Minnesota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Lake Co., Minnesota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Minnesota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Lake County, Minnesota Church Books (amazon.com)

Lake Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Lake Co. MN General and History Websites

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

Lake Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Minnesota
• Minnesota Naturalization Records Index, 1854-1957  (search.ancestry.com)

Lake Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Minnesota Links and Information
• 1895 Lake County Map (livgenmi.com)
• Lake County D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps

Lake Co. MN Military Records

• Minnesota Military Records Research Guide
• Minnesota, Civil War Records, 1861-1865  (search.ancestry.com)
• Minnesota Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Minnesota men and women who served. Suitable for Lake County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.