Rock 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

Rock County, Minnesota Facts

When was Rock County, MN Created?
Rock County was founded on May 23, 1857 from Brown County.

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

What counties are adjacent to Rock County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Pipestone County, Murray County, Nobles County, Lyon County, Iowa, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Moody County, South Dakota.

Rock County, MN Vital Records

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

Rock County, MN Census Records

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

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

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

Rock County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Rock County Courthouse

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

• Rock County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 204 E. Brown, Luverne , MN 56156
  • Phone: (507) 283-5020
• Rock County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1872
  • Land Records: 1871
• Rock County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1873
  • Court Records: 1874
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Rock County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Rock County Historical Society, PO Box 741, 217 N. Freeman Ave, Luverne MN, Phone: 507 283-9849
• Southwest Minnesota Historical Center, Social Science 141, Southwest Minnesota State University, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258; (507) 537-7373
• 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 Rock 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)
• Rock County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Rock County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

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

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

Rock Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Rock Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Rock Co. MN General and History Websites

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

Rock Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

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

Rock Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Rock 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 Rock County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.