Chippewa County Death Notices
Chippewa County obituary records and death certificates are maintained by the County Recorder in Montevideo. The recorder handles birth and death registrations for all communities within Chippewa County and provides certified copies to those who need legal documentation of a death. You can reach the office by phone, visit in person, or use online state tools to start your search for Chippewa County death records and death notices.
Chippewa County Overview
Chippewa County Recorder Birth and Death Records
The Chippewa County Recorder keeps the official register of births and deaths for the county. The office is at 629 N 11th Street in Montevideo. For death records, you can request certified copies by visiting in person or mailing a written request to the office. The recorder processes requests and issues copies following Minnesota state law on vital records access and fees.
The fee for a certified death record copy in Chippewa County is $13 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record, as set by Minnesota Statutes section 144.226. Non-certified copies are available to the general public. Under Minnesota Statutes section 144.225, death records are not restricted, so you do not need to prove a relationship to the deceased to get a non-certified copy. Only certified copies have access limits.
| Office | Chippewa County Recorder - Birth and Death Records |
|---|---|
| Address | 629 N 11th Street Montevideo, MN 56265 |
| Phone | 320-269-9431 |
| Certified Copy Fee | $13 first copy, $6 each additional |
| Website | co.chippewa.mn.us - Birth/Death Records |
When submitting a request, include the full name of the deceased, date of death, and your purpose for requesting the record. Mail-in requests should also include a copy of your ID if you are requesting a certified copy. The Recorder's office can tell you what additional documentation may be required for your specific situation.
Chippewa County Recorder Resource
The Chippewa County Birth and Death Records page provides current fee information, contact details, and guidance on how to request death certificates from the Montevideo office.
Checking this page before contacting the office will help you prepare the right documents and understand the current process for getting a Chippewa County death record.
Search Chippewa County Death Records Online
Minnesota maintains a free statewide death index through the Department of Health. The MDH Death Search Index covers deaths registered in Minnesota from 1997 to the present. You can search by name and get a confirmation that a record exists for a person who died in Chippewa County, along with the registration number needed to request a copy. The MDH Vital Records page explains how to order records from the state office if you prefer to go that route instead of the county.
For older deaths, the Minnesota Historical Society is the primary online resource. The MNHS People Search indexes Minnesota deaths from 1908 through 2001. You can search free by name and find the death record reference for a Chippewa County resident who died during that period. The historical society also has death cards for 1904 to 1907. See the MNHS death records help page for a full explanation of what is available.
Note: Deaths registered before 1908 exist only in county-level records. Contact the Chippewa County Recorder for deaths from that era.
Chippewa County Newspaper Death Notices
Newspaper obituaries in Chippewa County have appeared in papers like the Montevideo American-News for well over a century. These published death notices frequently include details about a person's life, survivors, and funeral arrangements that you won't find in the official death certificate. For family history researchers, the newspaper obituary is often the richest source of biographical detail.
The MNHS Newspaper Hub hosts digitized Minnesota newspapers and may include Chippewa County papers for certain time periods. Search the hub by name and date to find obituary notices. For papers not in the digital collection, the Chippewa County Historical Society may hold microfilm or clipping files that cover local papers going back many decades. Combining newspaper searches with official record requests gives you the most complete picture of a death and a life.
Chippewa County History and Genealogy
The Chippewa County Historical Society is a key resource for death and obituary research in the county. The society holds local history materials including cemetery records, church registers, and other sources that can help fill in gaps left by official government records. If you are researching a family that lived in Chippewa County over multiple generations, the historical society's collections may span the whole period.
The Chippewa County MNGenWeb page is a volunteer genealogy resource with transcribed records and links to relevant materials for the county. It is free and updated by local genealogy contributors. FamilySearch also indexes Minnesota vital records and has free access to a wide range of death-related records. The MDH County Registrar Directory confirms current contact information for the Chippewa County office if you need to verify details before reaching out.
Cities in Chippewa County
Chippewa County is a rural county in western Minnesota. None of its communities currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
Major communities in Chippewa County include Montevideo, Granite Falls, Benson, Dawson, and Kerkhoven. All death records for these communities are filed with the Chippewa County Recorder.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Chippewa County. If you are not sure which county filed a death record, check where the death occurred.