Swift 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

Swift County, Minnesota Facts

When was Swift County, MN Created?
Swift County was founded on February 18, 1870 from Chippewa County.

What is the County Seat of Swift County, MN?
The County Seat is located in Benson and the county government website is http://www.swiftcounty.com/

What counties are adjacent to Swift County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Stevens County, Pope County, Kandiyohi County, Chippewa County, Lac qui Parle County, Big Stone County.

Swift County, MN Vital Records

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

Swift County, MN Census Records

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

Swift Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Swift Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 870 and 1880. Swift Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890.

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

Swift County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Swift County Courthouse

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

• Swift County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 301 14th Street N., Benson , MN 56215
  • Phone: (320) 843-2744
• Swift County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1871
  • Land Records: 1871
• Swift County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1873
  • Court Records: 1874
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Swift County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Swift County Historical Society, 2135 Minnesota Avenue, Benson, MN 56215; Phone:(320) 843-4467
• West Central Minnesota Historical Center, University of Minnesota–Morris, Morris, MN 56267
• 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 Swift 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)
• Swift County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Swift County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

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

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

Swift Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Swift Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Swift Co. MN General and History Websites

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

Swift Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

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

Swift Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Swift 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 Swift County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.