Kandiyohi County Resources

Kandiyohi County Vital Records

Birth & Death Records.......There is a new law regarding certified birth and death certificates. Minnesota statutes, section 144.225, subdivision 7 restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate to a person who has a tangible interest in the requested certificate. This is a new law that is effective August 1, 2000.

You have tangible interest in a certificate:

If you are the subject of the certificate;
If you are the child, grandchild, spouse, parent, grandparent, legal custodian, or guardian of the subject;
If you are a personal representative of the estate of the subject; or
If you are the person who filed or a representative of the organization that filed the birth or death certificate with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a local registrar.

You may also be issued a certificate if a person who has a tangible interest authorized you to receive the certificate or if you can demonstrate to the state registrar that the certificate is necessary for the determination or protection of a personal or property right.

A local, state, or federal governmental agency may be issued a certificate if it is necessary for the government agency to perform its authorized duties.

You may request a certified birth or death certificate from a local registrar at the County Recorder's office or from MDH.

If you request the certificate in person, you will be asked to complete and sign an application stating that you have tangible interest in the certificate. You will be asked to show identification. If you request the certificate by mail or fax, you will be asked to provide the same application that is requested on the application and to have the application notarized before you mail or fax it. Applications are available on the MDH Web site. You may also contact a local registrar at a County office or MDH. They will mail you an application or tell you what information you must provide in your request.

Certified copy of a birth certificate..................................................................................$14.00 ea
Non-certified birth certificate..............................................................................................11.00 ea
Additional certified certificates of the same record purchased at the same time..........8.00 ea
Additional non-certified certificates of the same record purchased at the same time...5.00 ea
Certified copy of a death certificate..................................................................................14.00 ea
Additional copies of the same death certificate ordered at the same time............... .....5.00 ea
Federal Express Mail Service............................................................................................14.00
Vitalchek Network user fee (credit card orders) is per order not per certificate.............5.00

These fees apply for birth and death certificates from either the County Recorder's office or the MDH.

The Minnesota Historical Society has a Death Certificate Online Search site at:
http://people/mnhs.org/dci/Search.cfm
The database provides the name and date of death between 1908 and 1946 and a copy of the certificate can be ordered.

Marriage Records.....The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) does not issue copies of certificates of marriage or divorce decrees. Your request should be directed to the county where the marriage certificate was issued or the divorce granted. There is a fee of $8.00 for a copy of a marriage certificate. The fee for the divorce decree varies depending on the size of the document. Pease contact the Kandiyohi County Recorder's office for ordering and fee information.

MDH does issue statements of marriage or divorce which will indicate that a record of a marriage or divorce was found in the state index. If the marriage occurred between 1958 and 1998 or if the divorce decree was granted between 1970 and 1998, MDH will provide a statement which reflects the index findings for $8.00. Please forward your request to the MDH with the following information:

For Marriage:

Name of Groom
Name of Bride (at the time of the marriage license application)
Date event took place -- if unknown, approximate year
Name and address to send search results
Daytime phone number including area code

For Divorce:

Name of Husband (the index is listed by the husband's last name only)
Name of Wife
Date event took place -- if unknown, approximate year
Name and address to send search results
Daytime phone number including area code

Remember.....Most vital records in Minnesota begin with the origination of a given county, generally around 1870. However, many vital records were not recorded during those early years. Minnesota Department of Health birth records are from 1900, death records from January 1908 to present. Marriage index starts January 1958 and divorce index starts in January 1970. Birth and death records from earlier years are held at the County Recorder's office in the county where the event occurred. Turnaround time is 6-8 weeks, please be patient. Signature and notarization is required on birth and death records.

Kandiyohi County Recorder
Attention: Vital Records Office
400 Benson Avenue, Southwest
P.O. Box 736
Willmar, Minnesota 56201
(320) 231-6532

Minnesota Department of Health
Attention: Vital Records
717 Delaware Street, Southeast
P.O. Box 9441
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-9441
Fax: (612) 331-5776
Recorded Information: (612) 676-5120

Historical and Genealogical Societies

Kandiyohi County Historical Society Research Library and Museum
610 NE Highway # 71
Willmar, Minnesota 56201
Phone: (320) 235-1881

Director: Mona Nelson - Balcer

Email address: kandhist@wecnet.com
Web site address: http://www.kandimuseum.com

Museum Hours: 9-5pm Mon thru Fri
2-5pm Sun, May 31-Sept
1-5pm Weekends

Heritage Searchers Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 175
Willmar, Minnesota 56201-0175

The Heritage Searchers Genealogical Society, was organized in 1981 and welcomes all who are interested in family history and genealogy. Membership isn't limited to Kandiyohi County residents. Currently, dues are $10 per year and include a newsletter that is published six times a year, called Heritage Hi Lites. The Heritage Searchers have all materials available to the public in the Genealogy Room at the Willmar Public Library. Queries should include a brief outline of the information desired and please, always included a business sized, self addressed, stamped envelope, (SASE), with your letter. You will be notified of the charges for time and documents.

Here are some of the indexes held by the Heritage Searchers Genealogical Society

Every name index to 1905 County History

Every name index to plat maps 1874, 1886, 1905, 1910, 1927

County wide index to cemetery transcriptions

Card index to veterans buried in Kandiyohi County

Card index to 25th and 50th Wedding Anniversaries from 1865 to 1922

Index to 1860 Federal Census Kandiyohi / Monongalia County

Index to 1870 Federal Census, Minnesota

Index to 1875 Minnesota Census for Kandiyohi County

Index to 1880 Federal Census, Minnesota

Index to "Willmar Tribune" newspaper ... from 1895 to 1928 (in progress)

The Heritage Searchers Genealogical Society are ready and willing to help you with your research!

Atwater Area Historical Society
108 North 3rd Street
Atwater, Minnesota 56209
Phone: (320) 974-8284

Monongalia Historical Society
New London, Minnesota 56273
Phone: (320) 354-2990

Museum Hours: 1-5pm Tues thru Fri
10-5pm Sat

Libraries

Willmar Public Library
410 - 5th Street SW
Willmar, Minnesota 56201

Atwater Public Library
Atwater, Minnesota 56209

Pioneerland Library System
410 West Fifth
Willmar, Minnesota 56201

Willmar Community College Library
Willmar, Minnesota 56201

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Last update: Mar 31, 2023