• A death card from 1900. Written in cursive.
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Birth Record Research Request - Before 1900

Birth Record Research Request - Before 1900

$ 12.00

Get 10% off with a membership

$ 12.00

Get an additional 10% off with a membership

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For this service, library staff will search for the birth record of one person. A specific location and a specific year (before 1900) must be supplied.

Before you order
Only birth records from before 1900 can be requested with this service. If you're looking for a birth from 1900 or later, check Minnesota People Records Search (for birth certificates from 1900-1934), or with the Minnesota Department of Health.

Birth records are not available for all MN counties and townships. Click here to view a detailed list of pre-1900 birth records held by MNHS.

Pre-1900 birth records were the responsibility of counties and municipalities, rather than being a state duty. Original records are usually in the form of a ledger entry. Unlike more modern birth certificates, ledgers contain minimal information and are not considered official documents.

The fee for this service covers research and digitization. If no records are located, staff will send you research notes as well as any information that we have that may help you find the record, if it exists. In some cases, counties have retained these early vital records. No refunds will be issued once staff have started work on your request.




There is no statewide index to birth records prior to 1900, so this search is limited to two specific locations (townships, cities, etc.) within the county where the individual was born. Please provide the county and two locations within it. (If birth records are available for the entire county within the time period you're interested in, specific localities do not need to be provided.)

Without this information, we may not be able to complete research. Click here to see our detailed list of pre-1900 Minnesota birth records organized by county.

For this research service, library staff will search for the birth record of one person. A specific location and a specific year (before 1900) must be supplied.

Price
$12.00

Digital delivery via email and scanning fees are included in the price.
MNHS Members receive 10% discount at checkout.

Processing fee
The price of this service includes a non-refundable processing fee of $5. This is not an additional charge; however, if your order is cancelled for any reason, the Minnesota Historical Society will retain that fee.

Turnaround 
Research is usually completed and sent within three to four weeks. In some circumstances, it may take up to twelve weeks to complete work.


About This Research Service:
Library staff will search for one birth record from 1900 or before in one of the following sources:

  • County birth records (see example)
  • Local birth records from a specific city, town, or township (see example)

About these records
Pre-1900 birth records were the responsibility of counties and municipalities, rather than being a state duty. Original records are usually in the form of a ledger entry, and are organized by the creating entities, often the township/city, but some are county-wide. Unlike more modern birth certificates, ledgers contain minimal information and are not considered official documents. Birth records are not available for all MN counties and townships. Click here to view a detailed list of pre-1900 birth records held by MNHS.

The fee for this service covers research and digitization. If no records are located, staff will send you research notes as well as any information that we have that may help you find the record, if it exists. In some cases, counties have retained these early vital records. No refunds will be issued once staff have started work on your request.

Records are not available for all MN counties and townships. Before you order, please look carefully at the  If we do not have the records covering the location/date you specify, we will provide information on contacting the appropriate government office, if applicable.

For More Information:

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