Minneapolis Obituary Records

Minneapolis obituary records and death certificates are held by Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Health, giving researchers several ways to locate death information for people who lived or died in the city. This guide walks through the main sources for finding death records, historical obituaries, and genealogy tools available for Minneapolis research.

Hennepin County Vital Records Office

Hennepin County is the local registrar for deaths that occur in Minneapolis. The main office sits at 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487. The phone number is 612-348-8240. Staff there issue certified death certificates for any death filed in Hennepin County. A certified copy costs $13. Each extra copy ordered at the same time runs $6. You must show valid photo ID when picking up records in person.

Mail requests work the same way but take longer. The county holds records going back to the early 1900s. For very old records or those predating statewide registration, you may need to check the Minnesota Department of Health directly or look at historical archives. The county website at Hennepin County Vital Records has the current request forms, hours, and accepted payment methods. Call before you visit to confirm what documents to bring.

Minnesota Death Search Index

The Minnesota Department of Health provides a free online index covering deaths registered in Minnesota from 1908 through 2001. You can search by name and pull up basic details like date of death and county of record. This tool does not give you a certified copy, but it helps confirm a death occurred and gives you the key details needed to order official records.

The search tool is available at MDH Death Search Index. Once you find the record, you can order a certified copy through MDH or through Hennepin County. MDH charges $13 for a certified death certificate. Full ordering instructions are on the MDH Vital Records death page. This is one of the easiest first steps for any Minneapolis death records search.

The index is free. No account is needed. Results appear immediately after you submit your search.

Star Tribune Newspaper Obituaries

The Star Tribune is Minneapolis's main daily newspaper. It publishes obituaries for residents across the Twin Cities metro. Current obituaries are free to read online at Star Tribune Obituaries. For historical notices, the Minnesota Historical Society has digitized the Minneapolis Tribune going back to 1867. That archive is searchable for free at the MNHS Digital Newspaper Hub.

For issues after the MNHS archive ends, the Star Tribune archive on Newspapers.com covers many additional years. Newspaper obituaries often carry details that official records do not. They name surviving family members, list the funeral home used, and sometimes describe the cause of death. Checking newspaper obituaries alongside official death certificates gives you a more complete picture of a person's life and death.

The Star Tribune archive on Newspapers.com holds decades of Minneapolis death notices and obituaries going back well into the twentieth century.

Hennepin County Library Genealogy

Hennepin County Library branches offer free access to major genealogy databases for anyone with a library card. The genealogy collection overview is at Hennepin County Library Genealogy. At any branch you can use Ancestry Library Edition, Fold3, and ProQuest Obituaries at no cost. These databases cover local and national death records and published obituaries.

Library staff can point you toward the right collections for your search. Many branches have microfilm readers for old newspaper runs not yet digitized online. Local history collections include city directories that list residents by address and help confirm where someone lived before they died. If you are new to genealogy research, the library offers a good starting point without any subscription cost.

Hennepin County Library genealogy resources give free access to major obituary and death record databases for Minneapolis family history research.

Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society holds one of the largest collections of historical death and obituary materials in the state. Their People Search tool at MNHS People Search lets you search their databases for individuals. Holdings include death records, cemetery registers, church burial books, and digitized newspaper collections going back centuries.

For Minneapolis researchers, the MNHS newspaper archive is especially useful. The Minneapolis Tribune archive runs from 1867 to 1922 and is fully searchable online. MNHS also holds microfilm for many other local papers. Church records and cemetery books at MNHS can fill gaps when official state records do not exist. For deaths before 1908, when Minnesota began requiring statewide registration, MNHS is often the primary source.

Minneapolis Parks Cemeteries

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board manages several historic cemeteries within city limits. These sites hold more than 20,000 interments. Cemetery records confirm burial dates and plot locations and sometimes list next-of-kin. Visit the Minneapolis Parks Cemeteries page for a list of cemeteries under parks management. These records are a useful supplement when you need details beyond what a death certificate provides.

How to Get Death Records in Minneapolis

Getting a certified death certificate in Minneapolis is straightforward if you know where to go. Here are the main steps.

• Check the index first: Search the free MDH Death Search Index to confirm the record and get the key details before ordering.
• In person at Hennepin County: Visit 300 South Sixth Street with photo ID and $13 for the first copy. Extra copies are $6 each when ordered at the same time.
• By mail through MDH: Download the request form at MDH Vital Records, attach payment and a copy of your ID, and mail it in.
• Find your registrar: The MDH County Registrar Directory lists all local registrar offices and their contact details.

Under Minnesota Statute 144.225, certified copies go to immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a direct need. Informational copies may be available after a waiting period. The county office can advise on eligibility when you call or visit.

In-person requests are often processed the same day. Mail requests can take one to three weeks. If you need a record fast, ask about rush options when you call 612-348-8240.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities in Hennepin County and the surrounding metro also have obituary record pages.

Hennepin County Records

Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County. All Minneapolis death records are filed with Hennepin County Vital Records. See the county page for full details on records available countywide.