Will Book Record Request

Search for your individual here: Minnesota Will Records, 1849-1985

Make a note of the individual's full name, Event Place (county), Source Reference (for example: "Will Records Volume A, 1883-1907"), image number (located on the right side of the screen), and year and page number if given.

For this research service, Library Staff will copy one individual's Will Book Record that has been indexed by FamilySearch.org.

Turnaround: Research is usually completed and sent within 30 business days.

About This Research Service:

Will Books consist of copies or transcriptions of the complete texts of wills probated by the courts.

Will books do not contain original wills, are not the official records, and cannot be used to create certified copies. Original wills are are found in probate case files, and certified copies can be obtained from county probate courts.

We have Will Books for most* Minnesota counties, though the dates covered by the books varies by individual county. The earliest wills date from 1849 and the most recent are from the mid-1980s

* If you are interested in obtaining a will filed in Hennepin (including Minneapolis), Marshall, or St. Louis (including Duluth) counties, please contact that county’s court records or court administration department.

For more information:

• Court Records Research Guide
• Family History Overview Research Guide