Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking.
Minnesota Department of Health
Birth and Death Records
Minnesota Department of Health
Attention: Office of the State Registrar
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0882
(612) 676-5120
Make check or money order payable to MN Dept. of Health. Copies of earlier records may be obtained from the Local Registrar in the county where the event occurred or from the St. Paul Health Department if the event occurred in St. Paul.
Fees vary.
Birth since 1900 Order Form
Death since Jan 1908 Order Form
Marriage Index since Jan 1958
Inquiries will be forwarded to the appropriate office. Certified copies are not available from the State Department of Health. They should be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the license was issued.
Ancestry.com Rice County, Minnesota Marriages, 1860-69
Formed from nearby Wabasha and Dakota Counties in 1855, Rice County, Minnesota was home to about 7,500 persons in 1860. This database is a collection of records, compiled from existing documents, of persons married in the county between 1860 and 1869. Researchers will find the bride and groom’s names along with the date of marriage for nearly 800 people. Provided by John Dalby, this collection can be a valuable resource for those seeking information on ancestors from Minnesota. (Requires Ancestry.com Membership) Get 14 Days Free Access!!!
Divorce Index since Jan 1970
Certified copies are not available from the State office. They should be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the divorce was granted.