Records that survive
These are the record series from Ramsey County held by the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, taken from its finding aids for the county's offices, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years. A span can include gaps.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Inquest record · Coroner1878–1884
- Autopsy reports: Miscellaneous documents · Coroner1901–1920
- Coroner’s record of autopsies · Coroner1901–1908
- Autopsy reports · Coroner1905–1916
- Index to coroner’s record books · Coroner1910–1962
- Photograph album of unclaimed and/or unidentified bodies and accident scenes · Coroner1914–1939
- Index cards to coroner’s record books · Coroner1916
- Coroner’s record books · Coroner1920–1955
- Burial Certificate Stubs · Welfare Department1940–1966
Deeds and land
- Deed Record Books · Register of Deeds1844–1872
- Appointment and election record · Register of Deeds1849–1876
- Powers of attorney · Register of Deeds1849–1858
- Church record · Register of Deeds1852–1891
- Mortgages, Book H · Register of Deeds1856–1857
- Index to deed records by additions to St. Paul · Register of Deeds1857–1858
- Index to grantees and grantors,1849-1860; Cashbook of register · Register of Deeds1858–1859
- Record of bond for deeds · Register of Deeds1860–1867
- Record of deeds · Register of Deeds1861–1864
- Record of mortgages · Register of Deeds1861–1867
- Articles of Incorporation: Ramsey County Agricultural Society · Register of Deeds1868
- Daybook of abstract clerk · Register of Deeds1874–1878
- Park plat book · Register of Deeds1887–1895
- Abstracts of Votes · County Auditor1894–2018
Wills and estates
- Indexes to Case Files · Probate Court1849–1958
- Record Books · Probate Court1849–1871
- Will books · Probate Court1849–1928
- Minute books · Probate Court1854–1870
Court records
- Jail Construction Records · Sheriff1883–1939
- Jail Registers · Sheriff1929–1956
- Claim Dockets · County Attorney1935–1956
- Minutes and agenda packets · Criminal Justice Planning Department1973–1982
- Subject files · Criminal Justice Planning Department1975–1982
Schools
- School District Reorganization Records · Superintendent of Schools1948–1952
Welfare and the poor
- Minutes · Welfare Department1872–1975
- Ramsey County Alms House Records · Welfare Department1883–1944
- Ramsey County Home/Ramsey Nursing Home · Welfare Department1920–2008
- Subject Files · Human Services Department1927–2004
- Scrapbooks · Welfare Department1929–1968
- Testing, Selection, and Use of Service Outcome Measure Volunteer · Human Services Department1958–1980
- Other Organizations/External References · Human Services Department1963–2007
- Open Forum Newsletter · Human Services Department1969
- Annual Reports · Human Services Department1971–2018
- Housing Reports · Human Services Department1980–2002
- Program Evaluations · Human Services Department1980–1998
- Reports Specific to Ethnic Groups/Racial Disparity · Human Services Department1980–2009
- Adult Protection Intake Sheets · Human Services Department1982–1985
- Ramsey County Information Plan · Human Services Department1984
- and 18 more series in the full listing
County government
- MINUTES · Board of Commissioners1858–1999
- AGENDA PACKETS · Board of Commissioners1895–1918
- Minutes · Board of Commissioners. Recreation Committee1926–1944
- Hunt [Commissioner Ruby] Files · Board of Commissioners1953–1992
- Committee Files · Board of Commissioners1971–1986
- Correspondence · Board of Commissioners1976–1990
- Wedell [Commissioner Dick] Files · Board of Commissioners1986–1996
- Resolutions · Board of Commissioners1988–1995
Other records
- Scrapbooks · St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health Department1916–1969
- Photographs1931–2001
- Subject files of Dr. Neal R. Holtan (medical director) · St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health Department1938–2009
- Photographs · St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health Department1940–2000
Search the Historical Society's catalog for this county
Source: Minnesota Historical Society, government records finding aids. The Society holds only part of each county's records; most deeds and many court and vital records are still at the county. Minnesota began statewide registration of births in 1900 and of deaths in 1908.
Where to find the records
- Ramsey County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county recorder, the district court and the Minnesota Historical Society, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county recorder
Deeds, mortgages and other land records from the county's beginning (the recorder was called the register of deeds until 1976). County birth and death records from 1870 on were first kept by the clerk of district court; in many counties they are now with the recorder, in others with the court administrator, and some recorders also have the marriage records.
- The district court
Civil and criminal cases, divorces and, in many counties, marriage licenses. Since Minnesota's courts were unified in the 1980s, probate (wills and estates) has been part of the district court as well.
- The Minnesota Historical Society
In St. Paul: many counties' older probate, tax, school and other records, the state censuses of 1865 to 1905, and statewide indexes to births (1900 to 1934) and deaths (1904 to 2001).
- Minnesota Historical Society catalog: Ramsey Countyfree
Everything the Society's library and archives hold for Ramsey County: county records, histories, directories, maps and more.
- Minnesota People Records Searchfree
The Historical Society's indexes to Minnesota birth records (1900–1934), death records (1904–2001) and the state censuses, with copies to order.
- Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS)free
A search of marriage records kept by the counties. Choose RAMSEY under County; the years covered differ by county, and Scott and Washington counties don't take part.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Minnesota, Ramsey" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: One of the nine counties created by Minnesota's first territorial legislature in 1849
Later formed partly from Ramsey County: Aitkin County, Anoka County, Chisago County, Crow Wing County, Isanti County, Mille Lacs County, Pine County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1849, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Minnesota took its own census in 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895 and 1905. They are indexed in the Historical Society's People Records Search (not every county appears in every year), and the 1905 census, like the 1895 census for men over 21, says how long each person had lived in the state and in the district, a clue to when a family arrived.