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