Polk 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

Polk County, Minnesota Facts

When was Polk County, MN Created?
Polk County was founded on July 20, 1858 from Pembina County.

What is the County Seat of Polk County, MN?
The County Seat is located in Crookston and the county government website is http://www.co.polk.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Polk County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Marshall County, Pennington County, Red Lake County, Clearwater County, Mahnomen County, Norman County, Traill County, North Dakota, Grand Forks County, North Dakota.

Polk County, MN Vital Records

Where can find Polk County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Polk 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 Polk 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

Polk County, MN Census Records

What Polk County, MN census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Polk 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.

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

Polk 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
• Polk County, MN Census Records Link
• Polk County, MN Census QuickFacts

Polk County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Polk County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Polk County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Polk 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 Polk 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.

• Polk County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 816 Marin Ave, Crookston , MN 56716
  • Phone: (218) 281-2332
• Polk County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1873
  • Marriage Records: 1873
  • Land Records: 1873
• Polk County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1877
  • Court Records: 1879
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Polk County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Polk County Historical Society, Box 214, Crookston, MN 56716; phone number: 218-281-1038
• East Polk Heritage Center, PO Box 4, Fosston, MN 56542
• Minnkota Genealogical Society, PO Box 12744, Grand Forks, ND 58208-2744
• Red River Valley Genealogical Society, PO Box 9284, 112 N University Drive Suite L116, Fargo, ND 58106
• Northwest Minnesota Historical Center, Livingston Lord Library, Moorhead State University, Moorhead, MN 56560
• 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 Polk 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)
• Polk County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Polk County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Polk County, MN?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Polk 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.

Polk 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)
• Polk County, Minnesota Books (amazon.com)
• Search Minnesota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Polk County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Polk Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Polk Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Polk Co. MN General and History Websites

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

Polk Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

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

Polk Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Polk 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 Polk County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.