Find Obituary Records in Sherburne County
Sherburne County obituary records and death certificates are held at the county recorder's office in Elk River, with records generally available from the 1870s onward. Searching for death and obituary records in Sherburne County means checking several sources, starting with the county recorder, then the MDH statewide death index, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Sherburne County Historical Society. The county sits north of the Twin Cities metro and has seen strong growth over recent decades, so records range from early rural settlements to more recent suburban communities.
Sherburne County Overview
Sherburne County Recorder - Vital Records Office
The Sherburne County Recorder in Elk River is the local office for death certificates and vital records. The office acts as a county registrar for the Minnesota Department of Health. Certified copies of death certificates are available in person or by mail. Staff can answer questions about what records exist and what the current request process requires.
| Office | Sherburne County Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 13880 Business Center Dr NW, Elk River, MN 55330 |
| Phone | 763-765-4420 |
| Website | co.sherburne.mn.us/departments/recorder |
| Records Available | Death certificates, birth records, marriage records |
| Death Records Start | General 1870s |
| Certified Copy Fee | $13 first copy, $6 each additional |
To get a certified death certificate, you need to provide the full name of the deceased, the approximate date of death, and proof of your eligibility. Close family members and legal representatives are the primary eligible parties. Call 763-765-4420 before visiting or mailing to confirm what documentation is needed. The recorder's office is at 13880 Business Center Dr NW in Elk River, which is the county government center.
Mail requests are accepted. Include a completed request form, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a check or money order. Processing times for mail requests are typically longer than in-person requests. If time is a factor, visiting in person during business hours is the faster route.
Sherburne County's records go back to the general 1870s. Early records from before statewide standardization in 1908 may be less complete than later records. If you need records from the 1800s, the county can tell you what is available, and the Minnesota Historical Society may have supplementary sources for the same period.
Minnesota Death Search Index - Free Online Search
The MDH free online death index covers Sherburne County and all other Minnesota counties. It includes deaths registered from 1908 forward. The index shows basic information: name, date, and county of death. It does not provide the full certificate, but it is useful for confirming a death was registered before you request a copy.
Search the index at health.state.mn.us - death search index. Once you confirm the record, you can order a certified copy from the Sherburne County Recorder or from the MDH. Instructions for ordering from the state are at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/death.html.
For deaths before 1908, the county office, MNHS, and FamilySearch are better options. The MDH index is strictly for deaths registered with the state from 1908 onward, and early county coverage in the 1870s through early 1900s may vary by location within the county.
The MDH online death index is free and quick, making it an easy first step when looking for a Sherburne County death record registered after 1908.
Minnesota Historical Society Records
The Minnesota Historical Society holds records that go beyond what the county recorder maintains. For Sherburne County, MNHS collections include church records, early death registers, and digitized newspaper obituaries. The MNHS is most useful for records from before 1908 and for genealogy research on county families going back to the 1800s.
Search the MNHS People database at mnhs.org/search/people. It is free and indexes names across many collections. The death records guide at mnhs.org - about death records explains what records are available and how to access them, including what requires an in-person visit to the MNHS research center in St. Paul.
The MNHS Digital Newspaper Hub at mnhs.org/newspapers/hub provides searchable access to historical Minnesota newspapers, including those from the Elk River and Sherburne County area. Published obituaries from local papers often contain details not in the official death record, such as survivor names, church affiliations, and burial locations. For mid-20th century deaths especially, newspaper obituaries can be extremely informative.
The MNHS newspaper hub lets you search digitized Sherburne County papers by name, making it possible to find published obituaries without visiting a library or archive in person.
Sherburne County Historical Society
The Sherburne County Historical Society keeps local collections that can supplement official vital records. Their holdings include old newspapers, family files, cemetery records, and photographs related to life and death in the county. For research on Sherburne County families, especially those with roots going back to the 1800s, the historical society is a valuable resource.
Visit the Sherburne County Historical Society at sherburnecountyhistory.org to learn about their collections and contact information. Staff and volunteers there often know about local sources that are not indexed online. Local churches, cemeteries, and township records may also be part of their holdings or known to their staff.
MNGenWeb Genealogy Resources
The Sherburne County MNGenWeb project at sherburne.mngenweb.net is a free volunteer genealogy site with resources focused on the county. It includes links to cemetery indexes, family histories, and other locally compiled records. MNGenWeb is a good first stop for free online genealogy research on Sherburne County residents.
MNGenWeb links to FamilySearch at familysearch.org - Minnesota Vital Records, where many early Minnesota death records have been digitized. FamilySearch is free and may have Sherburne County death records from the late 1800s and early 1900s that are not easily accessible through the county or state offices.
The Sherburne County MNGenWeb site connects you to locally compiled indexes and links to statewide databases, serving as a free hub for county genealogy research.
How to Get Sherburne County Death Records
For a certified death certificate, contact the Sherburne County Recorder at 763-765-4420 or visit 13880 Business Center Dr NW in Elk River. You can also order through the MDH by mail. The fee is $13 for the first certified copy and $6 for each additional. Certified copies are required for legal uses such as estate settlement or survivor benefits claims.
For genealogy or informational research, the MDH death index, MNHS collections, Sherburne County Historical Society, and MNGenWeb are all free. None of these sources provide certified copies, but they can help you confirm dates, find published obituaries, and trace family connections. They are not valid substitutes for certified records in legal settings.
Find all county registrar contacts at health.state.mn.us - county registrar directory. Access to certified death records is governed by Minnesota Statute 144.225, which restricts certified copies to close relatives and authorized parties for 50 years. After 50 years, death records become public records.
The MDH vital records guide covers the steps for ordering a certified death certificate through the Sherburne County recorder or the state office, including fees, required identification, and mail instructions.
Nearby Counties
Sherburne County borders several central and metro Minnesota counties. Records for families in this area may span multiple county offices.