Vital records include marriage, birth, and death records.
Visit our guide on locating and using Vital Records.
The full population of Minnesota was enumerated in two series of censuses: one by the U.S. Census Office/Bureau of the federal government and another by the Territory/State of Minnesota.
Many African Americans were first enumerated on the 1870 Federal census. Prior to that, enslaved people appeared on a “slave schedule.” In most cases, individuals were not named, but were simply numbered and can be distinguished only by age, sex, and color; the names of owners are recorded. Some enumerators, however, listed the given names of slaves, particularly those over one hundred years of age. Free African Americans may appear by name on censuses prior to 1870, though censuses from 1840 and earlier list only the names of heads of households.
Federal Census, 1790-1940
The MNHS Library has some census records on microfilm, and the entire Federal census from 1790 to 1940 is available online. The database on Ancestry.com includes the slave schedules for 1850 and 1860, and an “Index to the Tithables [taxpayers] of Loudoun County, Virginia, and to Slaveholders and Slaves, 1758-1786.”
Minnesota State Census, 1849-1905
The Minnesota state censuses were taken in 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905. The territorial government also took a census in 1849, 1853, 1855, and 1857. Minnesota state censuses can be searched on Minnesota People Records Search.
Onsite researchers can access Federal Censuses and Minnesota State Census Records for free through the Library's Ancestry.com subscription. Search in Ancestry.com's card catalog for "United States Federal Census" to search individual federal censuses and slave schedules, or visit the Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 search page in Ancestry.com to get started looking at state censuses.
Researchers can also access Federal Censuses and Minnesota State and Territorial Census Records through FamilySearch.org. The website FamilySearch.org is free to use, but it does require users to set up an account with an email address. FamilySearch's guide to United States Censuses has links to federal censuses by decade, and the 1850 slave schedules and 1860 slave schedules can be searched separately. Individual Minnesota censuses can be searched by looking up "Minnesota, State Census" in FamilySearch's online catalog.
More information can be found on our Census Records research guide.
Gale Family Library
Minnesota Historical Society Library
Located on the Second Floor of the Minnesota History Center
345 West Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
Library Hours:
Thursday to Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Sunday to Wednesday: Closed
More Information on Visiting the Library
Contact Us:
651-259-3300
