Researching ancestors from Dakota County, Minnesota? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Dakota County's seat is Hastings. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Minnesota in our public-record database.
Search Minnesota records →Where Dakota County records are kept
Original Dakota County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Hastings — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Minnesota began around 1900 (some counties earlier), so for earlier Dakota County deaths you'll rely on the county courthouse, church registers, and cemetery transcriptions. The Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul holds the broader historical and microfilmed county records.
The free records for Dakota County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Dakota County by household every ten years.
- Death records — search our Minnesota database and the state death index for the death year and place.
- Obituaries — the Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free Minnesota newspapers, including Hastings-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Dakota County cemetery and tombstone transcriptions, many public domain, fill gaps where a certificate doesn't exist.
We trace both sides back to the documented wall and deliver a written book + interactive family site — flat rate, no DNA test.
See how it works →Frequently asked questions
How do I find genealogy records in Dakota County, Minnesota?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Minnesota database, then check the county courthouse in Hastings for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Dakota County, Minnesota courthouse?
The Dakota County seat is Hastings, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.