Listed are indexes and databases designed to help users research Minnesota death notices.
Using Minnesota obituary records to assist in completing your genealogy records, or for documenting your family history in some other way, can be a very great resource. Nowadays, much of the data and vital records you may want to access for this type of project can be located online. Yet there is still a great deal of potential information that you can find offline that can’t be found online. For the best results, using a combination of both may be your best bet.
Generally, to get the best results, it is a good idea to have your search limited to an area such as a county you hope to find the obituary in. If this isn’t possible, Minnesota does have some statewide indexes that may help with your search. The only downfall is that the main online source for Minnesota death records appears to only date back to 1908, so finding records earlier than that may prove more challenging. There is a database for more recent deaths within the state that seems quite extensive, but may not cover the dates that would be helpful for you.
If you can locate data for the county the obituary may be from, you can possibly go back farther. For example, Clay county Minnesota has death records for 1872 until 1980. There are, of course, other great sources of information to use that can be accessed online, such as marriage certificates, birth certificates and any other vital records. Try to use several different types of sources to fill in gaps in your genealogy records.
The other thing you should consider doing online is locating library information for different parts of Minnesota. This will make your offline search much easier and more productive. Find physical addresses, phone numbers and, whenever possible, a contact name for someone who may be able to help you. Go ahead and establish contact by phone or email to see what you can find out before traveling.
Probably, your best source of information for Minnesota obituary records in person is going to be the library. The first thing you will want to do, after determining the county, is contact the library to find out how they store their historical records. In some places, the main library is where the majority of newspapers and microfilm is kept. In other places, they may have separated the resources between different branches.
If you cannot physically go to a certain part of Minnesota, you can try to enlist the help of someone who works for the library, or a volunteer. If that isn’t possible, seek out a genealogist group for the state and see if they have volunteers for the county you are interested in. These volunteers are usually available to retrieve documents if you cannot. Minnesota obituary records can be a very beneficial resource for completing your family tree.
Minnesota is easily one of the most underrated states in the union. It features some of the nicest folks you will ever meet and it is a great place to live, work and retire. If you are searching for Minnesota obituaries, the Internet is a great place to start your search. More and more cities and organizations are digitizing older listings so even if you are looking for listings from years ago, you may find them.
If you are looking for Norman County listings, you can use Margit Bakke's Genealogy Site to get started. The information there is up to date and free to look up and dates back several decades. In Dakota County, you can use the county library to look up listings as far back as 1980. If you are looking in Duluth, check out the large file at the local public library website.
There is information there for listings as far back as 1962 and hard copies can be sent for a small fee. At the Great River Regional Library in St. Cloud, you can search the archive there online for free. There are listings here from 1928 forward. When you use the Internet, finding Minnesota obituary records is simple.
Listed are indexes and databases designed to help users research Minnesota death notices.
In order to find Minnesota death notices, all that is required is a computer and internet connection, since the Duluth Public Library contains an effective searchable online obituary index that is available to the public. Enter the name of the decedent as well as any other known information such as the year and month the individual died to display results.
Below is a list of Minnesota newspaper obituaries to aid in genealogical research.
The Duluth News Tribune brings news for those who live in and around Duluth, Minnesota, and claims to be the number one website for the Northland. Access to obituaries can be found easily by clicking on the tab that is titled "obits", located directly under the search bar.
The motto of the Post-Bulletin is "if it matters to you, it matters to us", which is why most of the residents of Rochester, Minnesota, go to the site for their news and information. Obituaries are also located on the site and can be found easily by clicking on the obituaries tab on the top of the page.
The people of St. Cloud, Minnesota can get their news from the SC Times online. This site carries a variety of different types of news and information, including obituaries. Obituaries are easily accessed by clicking on the obituaries tab on the very top of the page underneath the search bar.
The Star Tribune has a digital site, making it easier than ever for those who live in or around St. Paul, Minnesota to get their news and information. To access the obituaries on the site, simply put the mouse over the news tab and a drop-down menu will show a link for obituaries.
The Winona Daily News is a newspaper in real life and digitally as well. They carry news and information for those who live in and around St. Charles, Minnisota. To access the obituaries, click on the milestones tab at the top of the page to get to the correct page.