Researching ancestors from Hennepin County, Minnesota? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Hennepin County's seat is Minneapolis. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Minnesota in our public-record database.
Search Minnesota records →Where Hennepin County records are kept
Original Hennepin County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Minneapolis — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Minnesota began around 1900 (some counties earlier), so for earlier Hennepin 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 Hennepin County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Hennepin 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 Minneapolis-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Hennepin 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 Hennepin County, Minnesota?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Minnesota database, then check the county courthouse in Minneapolis for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Hennepin County, Minnesota courthouse?
The Hennepin County seat is Minneapolis, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.