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