On October 27, 1849 nine large Minnesota counties were created. Among them were Benton, Dahkotah, Itasca, Ramsey, Mahkahta, Pembina, Wabashaw, Washington, and Wahnata. Of those Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Ramsey, Wabasha, and Washington still exist as their original name. With the creation of Kittson County on March 9, 1878, Pembina County no longer existed.[1] When Minnesota was organized as a state, 57 of the present 87 counties were established. The last county to be created was Lake of the Woods County in 1923.[2]
The names of many of the counties pay tribute to the long history of exploration. Over ten counties names pay tribute to the state's various Native American groups that are resident in parts of what is now Minnesota. Another fifteen counties are named after physical geographic features, with the remainder being named after politicians.
The FIPS county code is the five-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code which uniquely identifies counties and county equivalents in the United States. The three-digit number is unique to each individual county within a state, but to be unique within the entire United States, it must be prefixed by the state code. This means that, for example, while Aitkin County, Minnesota is 001, Adams County, Wisconsin and Adair County, Iowa are also 001. To uniquely identify Aitkin County, Minnesota, one must use the state code of 27 plus the county code of 001; therefore, the unique nationwide identifier for Aitkin County, Minnesota is 27001. The links in the column FIPS County Code are to the Census Bureau Info page for that county.[3]
County
|
FIPS Code
[3] |
County seat
[4] |
Established
[4] |
Origin
[1] |
Etymolgy
[5][6][7] |
Population
[8][4] |
Area
[8][4] |
Map
|
| Aitkin County |
001 |
Aitkin |
1857 |
Pine County, Ramsey County |
William Alexander Aitken (1785-1851), early fur trader with Ojibwe Indians |
&0000000000015301.00000015,301 |
&0000000000001819.3000001,819.30 sq mi
(&0000000000004712.0000004,712 kmē) |
 |
| Anoka County |
003 |
Anoka |
1857 |
Ramsey County |
A Dakota word meaning "both sides" |
&0000000000298084.000000298,084 |
&0000000000000423.610000423.61 sq mi
(&0000000000001097.0000001,097 kmē) |
 |
| Becker County |
005 |
Detroit Lakes |
1858 |
Cass County, Pembina County |
George Loomis Becker (1829-1904), former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul (1856-1857) |
&0000000000030000.00000030,000 |
&0000000000001310.4200001,310.42 sq mi
(&0000000000003394.0000003,394 kmē) |
 |
| Beltrami County |
007 |
Bemidji |
1866 |
Unorganized Territory, Itasca County, Pembina County, Polk County |
Giacomo Beltrami, Italian explorer who explored the northern reaches of Mississippi River in 1823. |
&0000000000039650.00000039,650 |
&0000000000002505.2700002,505.27 sq mi
(&0000000000006489.0000006,489 kmē) |
 |
| Benton County |
009 |
Foley |
1849 |
One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. |
Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858), former United States Senator from Missouri (1821-1851) |
&0000000000034226.00000034,226 |
&0000000000000408.280000408.28 sq mi
(&0000000000001057.0000001,057 kmē) |
 |
| Big Stone County |
011 |
Ortonville |
1862 |
Pierce County |
Big Stone Lake, a lake located in the county |
&0000000000005820.0000005,820 |
&0000000000000496.950000496.95 sq mi
(&0000000000001287.0000001,287 kmē) |
 |
| Blue Earth County |
013 |
Mankato |
1853 |
Unorganized Territory, Dakota County |
Blue Earth River, a river that flows through Minnesota |
&0000000000055941.00000055,941 |
&0000000000000752.360000752.36 sq mi
(&0000000000001949.0000001,949 kmē) |
 |
| Brown County |
015 |
New Ulm |
1855 |
Blue Earth County |
Joesph Renshaw Brown (1805-1870), member of Minnesota territorial legislature (1854-55) and prominent pioneer |
&0000000000026911.00000026,911 |
&0000000000000610.860000610.86 sq mi
(&0000000000001582.0000001,582 kmē) |
 |
| Carlton County |
017 |
Carlton |
1857 |
Pine County, St. Louis County |
Rueben B. Carlton (1812-1863), early settler and state senator (1857-1858) |
&0000000000031671.00000031,671 |
&0000000000000860.330000860.33 sq mi
(&0000000000002228.0000002,228 kmē) |
 |
| Carver County |
019 |
Chaska |
1855 |
Hennepin County, Sibley County |
Jonathan Carver (1710-1790), early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river. |
&0000000000070205.00000070,205 |
&0000000000000357.040000357.04 sq mi
(&0000000000000925.000000925 kmē) |
|
| Cass County |
021 |
Walker |
1851 |
Dakota County, Pembina County, Mankahto County, Wahnata County |
Lewis Cass (1782-1866), senator from Michigan(1845-1857) and United States Secretary of State(1831-1836) |
&0000000000027150.00000027,150 |
&0000000000002017.6000002,017.60 sq mi
(&0000000000005226.0000005,226 kmē) |
 |
| Chippewa County |
023 |
Montevideo |
1870 |
Pierce County, Davis County |
Chippewa River, a river that flows through Minnesota |
&0000000000013088.00000013,088 |
&0000000000000582.800000582.80 sq mi
(&0000000000001509.0000001,509 kmē) |
 |
| Chisago County |
025 |
Center City |
1851 |
Washington County, Ramsey County |
Chisago Lake, a lake located in the county |
&0000000000041101.00000041,101 |
&0000000000000417.630000417.63 sq mi
(&0000000000001082.0000001,082 kmē) |
 |
| Clay County |
027 |
Moorhead |
1862 |
Pembina County |
Henry Clay (1836-1913), Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825-1829) |
&0000000000051229.00000051,229 |
&0000000000001045.2400001,045.24 sq mi
(&0000000000002707.0000002,707 kmē) |
 |
| Clearwater County |
029 |
Bagley |
1902 |
Beltrami County |
Clearwater River and lake, both features located in the state |
&0000000000008423.0000008,423 |
&0000000000000994.710000994.71 sq mi
(&0000000000002576.0000002,576 kmē) |
 |
| Cook County |
031 |
Grand Marais |
1874 |
Lake County |
Named for Civil War veteran Major Michael Cook of Faribault, who was also a territorial and state senator 1857-62 |
&0000000000005168.0000005,168 |
&0000000000001450.6000001,450.60 sq mi
(&0000000000003757.0000003,757 kmē) |
 |
| Cottonwood County |
033 |
Windom |
1857 |
Brown County |
Cottonwood River |
&0000000000012167.00000012,167 |
&0000000000000639.990000639.99 sq mi
(&0000000000001658.0000001,658 kmē) |
 |
| Crow Wing County |
035 |
Brainerd |
1857 |
Ramsey County |
Crow Wing River |
&0000000000055099.00000055,099 |
&0000000000000996.570000996.57 sq mi
(&0000000000002581.0000002,581 kmē) |
 |
| Dakota County |
037 |
Hastings |
1849 |
One of nine original counties. |
From the Dakota language, after a local tribe Dakota, meaning "Allies" |
&0000000000355904.000000355,904 |
&0000000000000569.580000569.58 sq mi
(&0000000000001475.0000001,475 kmē) |
 |
| Dodge County |
039 |
Mantorville |
1855 |
Rice County, Unorganized Territory |
Henry Dodge (1782 - 1867), twice governor of Wisconsin.[9] |
&0000000000017731.00000017,731 |
&0000000000000439.500000439.50 sq mi
(&0000000000001138.0000001,138 kmē) |
 |
| Douglas County |
041 |
Alexandria |
1858 |
Cass County, Pembina County |
Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861), former United States Senator from Illinois (1847-1861) |
&0000000000032821.00000032,821 |
&0000000000000634.320000634.32 sq mi
(&0000000000001643.0000001,643 kmē) |
 |
| Faribault County |
043 |
Blue Earth |
1855 |
Blue Earth County |
Jean-Baptiste Faribault (1775-1860), early settler and fur trader |
&0000000000016181.00000016,181 |
&0000000000000713.630000713.63 sq mi
(&0000000000001848.0000001,848 kmē) |
 |
| Fillmore County |
045 |
Preston |
1853 |
Wabasha County |
Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), thirteenth president of the United States (1850-1853) |
&0000000000021122.00000021,122 |
&0000000000000861.250000861.25 sq mi
(&0000000000002231.0000002,231 kmē) |
 |
| Freeborn County |
047 |
Albert Lea |
1855 |
Blue Earth County, Rice County |
William S. Freeborn (1816-1900), member of the Territorial Legislature |
&0000000000032584.00000032,584 |
&0000000000000707.640000707.64 sq mi
(&0000000000001833.0000001,833 kmē) |
 |
| Goodhue County |
049 |
Red Wing |
1853 |
Wabasha County, Dakota County |
James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota.[10] |
&0000000000044127.00000044,127 |
&0000000000000758.270000758.27 sq mi
(&0000000000001964.0000001,964 kmē) |
 |
| Grant County |
051 |
Elbow Lake |
1868 |
Stevens County, Wilkin County, Traverse County |
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), eighteenth president of the United States (1869-1877) |
&0000000000006289.0000006,289 |
&0000000000000546.410000546.41 sq mi
(&0000000000001415.0000001,415 kmē) |
 |
| Hennepin County |
053 |
Minneapolis |
1852 |
Dakota County |
Father Louis Hennepin (1626-1705), early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th Century |
&0000000001116200.0000001,116,200 |
&0000000000000556.620000556.62 sq mi
(&0000000000001442.0000001,442 kmē) |
 |
| Houston County |
055 |
Caledonia |
1854 |
Fillmore County |
Sam Houston (1793-1863), the second and fourth president of the Republic of Texas and seventh governor of Texas |
&0000000000019718.00000019,718 |
&0000000000000558.410000558.41 sq mi
(&0000000000001446.0000001,446 kmē) |
 |
| Hubbard County |
057 |
Park Rapids |
1883 |
Cass County |
Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836-1913), ninth governor of Minnesota (1882-1887) |
&0000000000018376.00000018,376 |
&0000000000000922.460000922.46 sq mi
(&0000000000002389.0000002,389 kmē) |
 |
| Isanti County |
059 |
Cambridge |
1857 |
Ramsey County |
A division of the Dakotas called the Izatys, meaning [those that] dwell at Knife Lake, after where they resided. |
&0000000000031287.00000031,287 |
&0000000000000439.070000439.07 sq mi
(&0000000000001137.0000001,137 kmē) |
 |
| Itasca County |
061 |
Grand Rapids |
1849 |
One of nine original counties; formed from residual La Pointe County, Wisconsin Territory. |
Lake Itasca, source of the Mississippi River (located in northwestern Minnesota). |
&0000000000043992.00000043,992 |
&0000000000002665.0600002,665.06 sq mi
(&0000000000006902.0000006,902 kmē) |
 |
| Jackson County |
063 |
Jackson |
1857 |
Brown County |
Henry Jackson, member of the first territorial legislature and the first merchant in St. Paul |
&0000000000011268.00000011,268 |
&0000000000000701.690000701.69 sq mi
(&0000000000001817.0000001,817 kmē) |
 |
| Kanabec County |
065 |
Mora |
1858 |
Pine County |
From the Ojibwe language Kan-a-bec-o-si-pi (Ginebigo-ziibi), meaning Snake River, which flows through the county |
&0000000000014996.00000014,996 |
&0000000000000524.930000524.93 sq mi
(&0000000000001360.0000001,360 kmē) |
 |
| Kandiyohi County |
067 |
Willmar |
1858 |
Meeker County, Renville County, Pierce County, Davis County, Stearns County |
From the Sioux language for "buffalo fish" |
&0000000000041203.00000041,203 |
&0000000000000796.060000796.06 sq mi
(&0000000000002062.0000002,062 kmē) |
 |
| Kittson County |
069 |
Hallock |
1879 |
Unorganized Territory |
Norman Kittson (1814-1888), bussinessman and mayor of Saint Paul (1858-1859) |
&0000000000005285.0000005,285 |
&0000000000001097.0800001,097.08 sq mi
(&0000000000002841.0000002,841 kmē) |
 |
| Koochiching County |
071 |
International Falls |
1906 |
Itasca County |
From the Ojibwe language Goojijiing (Place of inlets), which was the Cree name for Rainy Lake and Rainy River. |
&0000000000014355.00000014,355 |
&0000000000003102.3600003,102.36 sq mi
(&0000000000008035.0000008,035 kmē) |
 |
| Lac qui Parle County |
073 |
Madison |
1863 |
Redwood County |
A French phrase meaning "lake which talks". |
&0000000000008067.0000008,067 |
&0000000000000764.870000764.87 sq mi
(&0000000000001981.0000001,981 kmē) |
 |
| Lake County |
075 |
Two Harbors |
1856 |
Itasca County |
Lake Superior, which forms one of its edges |
&0000000000011058.00000011,058 |
&0000000000002099.1600002,099.16 sq mi
(&0000000000005437.0000005,437 kmē) |
 |
| Lake of the Woods County |
077 |
Baudette |
1923 |
Beltrami County |
Lake of the Woods, a lake located within the county. |
&0000000000004522.0000004,522 |
&0000000000001296.7000001,296.70 sq mi
(&0000000000003358.0000003,358 kmē) |
 |
| Le Sueur County |
079 |
Le Center |
1853 |
Dakota County |
Pierre-Charles Le Sueur (1657-1704), fur trader and early explorer of the Minnesota River Valley |
&0000000000025426.00000025,426 |
&0000000000000448.500000448.50 sq mi
(&0000000000001162.0000001,162 kmē) |
 |
| Lincoln County |
081 |
Ivanhoe |
1873 |
Lyon County |
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), sixteenth president of the United States (1861-1865) |
&0000000000006429.0000006,429 |
&0000000000000537.030000537.03 sq mi
(&0000000000001391.0000001,391 kmē) |
 |
| Lyon County |
083 |
Marshall |
1871 |
Redwood County |
Nathaniel Lyon (1818-1861), United States Army general during the Civil War |
&0000000000025425.00000025,425 |
&0000000000000714.170000714.17 sq mi
(&0000000000001850.0000001,850 kmē) |
 |
| McLeod County |
085 |
Glencoe |
1856 |
Carver County, Sibley County |
Martin McLeod early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature (1849-1856) |
&0000000000034898.00000034,898 |
&0000000000000491.910000491.91 sq mi
(&0000000000001274.0000001,274 kmē) |
 |
| Mahnomen County |
087 |
Mahnomen |
1906 |
Norman County |
An Ojibwa word meaning "wild rice". |
&0000000000005190.0000005,190 |
&0000000000000556.140000556.14 sq mi
(&0000000000001440.0000001,440 kmē) |
 |
| Marshall County |
089 |
Warren |
1879 |
Kittson County |
William Rainey Marshall (1825-1896), fifth governor of Minnesota (1866-1870) |
&0000000000010155.00000010,155 |
&0000000000001772.2400001,772.24 sq mi
(&0000000000004590.0000004,590 kmē) |
 |
| Martin County |
091 |
Fairmont |
1857 |
Faribault County, Brown County |
Either Henry Martin or Morgan Lewis Martin |
&0000000000021802.00000021,802 |
&0000000000000709.340000709.34 sq mi
(&0000000000001837.0000001,837 kmē) |
 |
| Meeker County |
093 |
Litchfield |
1856 |
Davis County |
Bradley B. Meeker (1813-1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849-1853) |
&0000000000022644.00000022,644 |
&0000000000000608.540000608.54 sq mi
(&0000000000001576.0000001,576 kmē) |
 |
| Mille Lacs County |
095 |
Milaca |
1857 |
Ramsey County |
Mille Lacs Lake, a lake located within the county. |
&0000000000022330.00000022,330 |
&0000000000000574.470000574.47 sq mi
(&0000000000001488.0000001,488 kmē) |
 |
| Morrison County |
097 |
Little Falls |
1856 |
Benton County |
William & Allan Morrison, fur trading brothers[11] |
&0000000000031712.00000031,712 |
&0000000000001124.5000001,124.50 sq mi
(&0000000000002912.0000002,912 kmē) |
 |
| Mower County |
099 |
Austin |
1855 |
Rice County |
John Edward Mower (1815-1879), member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s |
&0000000000038603.00000038,603 |
&0000000000000711.500000711.50 sq mi
(&0000000000001843.0000001,843 kmē) |
|
| Murray County |
101 |
Slayton |
1857 |
Brown County |
William Pitt Murray (1825-1910), Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature (1852-1855) and 1857 |
&0000000000009165.0000009,165 |
&0000000000000704.430000704.43 sq mi
(&0000000000001824.0000001,824 kmē) |
 |
| Nicollet County |
103 |
St. Peter |
1853 |
Dakota County |
Joseph Nicolas Nicollet (1786-1843), early explore and cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River |
&0000000000029771.00000029,771 |
&0000000000000452.290000452.29 sq mi
(&0000000000001171.0000001,171 kmē) |
 |
| Nobles County |
105 |
Worthington |
1857 |
Brown County |
William H. Nobles, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856 |
&0000000000020832.00000020,832 |
&0000000000000715.390000715.39 sq mi
(&0000000000001853.0000001,853 kmē) |
 |
| Norman County |
107 |
Ada |
1881 |
Polk County |
The early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers. |
&0000000000007442.0000007,442 |
&0000000000000876.270000876.27 sq mi
(&0000000000002270.0000002,270 kmē) |
 |
| Olmsted County |
109 |
Rochester |
1855 |
Fillmore County, Wabasha County, Rice County |
David Olmsted, first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature (1849-1850) |
&0000000000124277.000000124,277 |
&0000000000000653.010000653.01 sq mi
(&0000000000001691.0000001,691 kmē) |
 |
| Otter Tail County |
111 |
Fergus Falls |
1858 |
Pembina County, Cass County |
Otter Tail Lake, a lake located within the county |
&0000000000057159.00000057,159 |
&0000000000001979.7100001,979.71 sq mi
(&0000000000005127.0000005,127 kmē) |
 |
| Pennington County |
113 |
Thief River Falls |
1910 |
Red Lake County |
Edmund Pennington (b. 1848), executive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad |
&0000000000013584.00000013,584 |
&0000000000000616.540000616.54 sq mi
(&0000000000001597.0000001,597 kmē) |
 |
| Pine County |
115 |
Pine City |
1856 |
Chisago County, Ramsey County |
The giant forests of Eastern White Pine and Red Pine that flourish in the county |
&0000000000026530.00000026,530 |
&0000000000001411.0400001,411.04 sq mi
(&0000000000003655.0000003,655 kmē) |
 |
| Pipestone County |
117 |
Pipestone |
1857 |
Brown County |
NAme of a sacred Dakota quarry of red pipestone found in the county |
&0000000000009895.0000009,895 |
&0000000000000465.890000465.89 sq mi
(&0000000000001207.0000001,207 kmē) |
 |
| Polk County |
119 |
Crookston |
1858 |
Pembina County |
James K. Polk (1795-1849), eleventh president of the United States (1845-1849) |
&0000000000031369.00000031,369 |
&0000000000001970.3700001,970.37 sq mi
(&0000000000005103.0000005,103 kmē) |
|
| Pope County |
121 |
Glenwood |
1862 |
Pierce County, Cass County, Unorganized Territory |
John Pope (1822-1892), United States Army general during the Dakota War of 1862 |
&0000000000011236.00000011,236 |
&0000000000000670.140000670.14 sq mi
(&0000000000001736.0000001,736 kmē) |
 |
| Ramsey County |
123 |
Saint Paul |
1849 |
One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. |
Alexander Ramsey (1815-1903), second governor of Minnesota (1860-1863) |
&0000000000511035.000000511,035 |
&0000000000000155.780000155.78 sq mi
(&0000000000000403.000000403 kmē) |
 |
| Red Lake County |
125 |
Red Lake Falls |
1896 |
Polk County |
Red Lake River, a river that flows through Minnesota. |
&0000000000004299.0000004,299 |
&0000000000000432.430000432.43 sq mi
(&0000000000001120.0000001,120 kmē) |
 |
| Redwood County |
127 |
Redwood Falls |
1862 |
Brown County |
Redwood River, a river that flows through Minnesota. |
&0000000000016815.00000016,815 |
&0000000000000879.730000879.73 sq mi
(&0000000000002278.0000002,278 kmē) |
 |
| Renville County |
129 |
Olivia |
1855 |
Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County |
Joseph Renville (1779-1846), interpreter for early explorations of the Louisiana Purchase |
&0000000000017154.00000017,154 |
&0000000000000982.920000982.92 sq mi
(&0000000000002546.0000002,546 kmē) |
 |
| Rice County |
131 |
Faribault |
1853 |
Dakota County, Wabasha County |
Henry Mower Rice (1816-1894), former United States Senator from Minnesota (1858-1863) |
&0000000000056665.00000056,665 |
&0000000000000497.570000497.57 sq mi
(&0000000000001289.0000001,289 kmē) |
 |
| Rock County |
133 |
Luverne |
1857 |
Brown County |
A large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound." |
&0000000000009721.0000009,721 |
&0000000000000482.610000482.61 sq mi
(&0000000000001250.0000001,250 kmē) |
 |
| Roseau County |
135 |
Roseau |
1894 |
Kittson County, Beltrami County |
Roseau River and Roseau Lake, both of which are located nearby |
&0000000000016338.00000016,338 |
&0000000000001662.5100001,662.51 sq mi
(&0000000000004306.0000004,306 kmē) |
 |
| Scott County |
137 |
Shakopee |
1853 |
Dakota County |
Winfield Scott (1786-1886), United States Army general who served from (1808-1861) |
&0000000000089498.00000089,498 |
&0000000000000356.680000356.68 sq mi
(&0000000000000924.000000924 kmē) |
 |
|
