LibGuides: Family History Overview: Overview

Research Options

Visit the MNHS Library
Original materials, records, and newspapers on microfilm are available on site and reference staff can help with research.
MNHS Research Services
Order copies of records, articles, or other specific materials from the MNHS collections.
Your Local Library
Many books listed in the Secondary Sources can be checked out at other libraries.
Local Historical Societies
A list of MN county and town historical societies, with contact info and web links
Ancestry.com
A genealogy website with records from all over the world. Access requires a subscription. Visit the MNHS Library to use our subscription.
Family Search
A free family history site that allows you to search records from around the world.

Related Research Guides & Webpages

Adoption Research
A guide listing resources available at MNHS about people adopted in Minnesota.
Military Service Records Research
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS library.
Vital Records: Birth, Death, & Marriage
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS library.
Naturalization Records
A guide on researching nationalizations at MNHS.
State Institutions
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS library.
Family History Resources & Research
MNHS Online Genealogy Guide, based on the print book A Guide to Family History Resources at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Family History Research

Family history can be a very rewarding and educational activity. The Minnesota Historical Society has a variety of resources to help you learn about your family's history. If you are just starting out on your family research it is best to begin in a systematic way. Your research will be more productive and generally more successful if you do.

Family History Research in 8 Easy Steps