Stearns 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

Stearns County, Minnesota Facts

When was Stearns County, MN Created?
Stearns County was founded on February 20, 1855 from Cass County, Nicollet County, Pierce County and Sibley County.

What is the County Seat of Stearns County, MN?
The County Seat is located in St. Cloud and the county government website is http://www.co.stearns.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Stearns County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Todd County, Morrison County, Benton County, Sherburne County, Wright County, Meeker County, Kandiyohi County, Pope County, Douglas County.

Stearns County, MN Vital Records

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

Stearns County, MN Census Records

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

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

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

Stearns County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Stearns County Courthouse

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

• Stearns County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 725 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud , MN 56303
  • Phone: (320) 656-3620
• Stearns County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1870
  • Land Records: 1855
• Stearns County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1859
  • Court Records: 1857
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Stearns County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Albany Historical Society, Box 25, Albany, MN 56307
• Stearns County Historical Society, Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, Saint Cloud MN 56301-3752; Phone: 320 253-8424
• Paynesville Historical Society, PO Box 35, Paynesville MN 56362; Phone: 320 243-7547
• Sinclair Lewis Foundation Inc., PO Box 25, Sauk Centre MN 56378-0025; Phone: 320 352-5201
• Kimball Area Historical Society, PO Box 100, Kimball MN 55353-0100; Phone: 320 398-5250 or 1-800-252-2521
• Melrose Area Historical Society, 518 E 2nd St S, Melrose MN 56352-1414; Phone: 320 256-4996 or 320 256-3933
• Sauk Centre Area Historical Society, 430 Main St S, Sauk Centre MN 56378-1509; Phone: 320 351-8777
• Central Minnesota Historical Center, Centennial Hall, Room 148, St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN 56301
• 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 Stearns 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)
• Stearns County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Stearns County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

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

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

Stearns Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Stearns Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Stearns Co. MN General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Minnesota
• Stearns County, Minnesota Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• History of Stearns County (co.stearns.mn.us)
• Stearns County: 150 Years of Fascinating History (co.stearns.mn.us)
• Stearns County, Minnesota Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Stearns Co. MN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Stearns County, Minnesota (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Minnesota – Counties – Stearns (cyndislist.com)
• Stearns County Minnesota (genealogytrails.com)
• Stearns Co. MNGenweb (stearnscounty.mn)
• Stearns County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Stearns Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Stearns Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

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

Stearns Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Stearns 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 Stearns County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.