The Family History and Genealogy Room houses a variety of primary and secondary resources useful to family historians. Primary materials are regional in scope and emphasize North and South Dakota, as well as Minnesota. The records include Federal Manuscript Population Census Schedules from 1840 to 1920, Ontario and Manitoba Provincial Population Census Schedules from 1831 to 1891, North Dakota and western Minnesota Land Tract Books, the Ontario Computerized Land Record Index, American Lutheran Church Records for North Dakota, and naturalization records for several Red River Valley counties.

The Family History Room also contains over 5,600 volumes of published material. These secondary sources document the state's three major ethnic groups: Scandinavians (in particular the Norwegians), Canadians of English, Irish and Scottish descent, and Germans from Russia.

An extensive set of over 1,000 Norwegian local history books known as Bygdebøker contain a wealth of genealogical and historical information for over 520 communities and parishes in Norway.

In addition, the Department contains other items of interest to family history researchers, such as church, county and city anniversary books; histories of North Dakota, some of which contain biographical sketches; city and telephone directories; published family histories and genealogies; and various bibliographies.

See also:

Guide to Family History Room Sources
Guide to Norwegian Bygdebøker
Genealogical Manuscript Collections

To find books in the Family History and Genealogy Room: ODIN
(All searches can be limited to the Genealogy Collection in the "By Collection" pull down menu, located on the Limiting Your Search Results page)

Last Update: 7 February 2006