There are 87

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

. There are also several historical counties. On October 27, 1849, nine counties were established: Benton, Dahkotah, Itasca, Ramsey, Mahkahta, Pembina, Wabasha, Washington, and Wahnata. Six of these names still exist. With the foundation of Kittson County on March 9, 1878, Pembina County no longer existed. 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. The names of many of the counties allude to the long history of exploration. Over ten counties are named for Native American groups residing in parts of what is now Minnesota. Another fifteen counties are named after physical geographic features, and the remainder for 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, the number 001 is shared by

Aitkin County, Minnesota Aitkin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,697. Its county seat is Aitkin. Part of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in the county. The county was created in 1857 and organiz ...

Adams County, Wisconsin Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,654. Its county seat is Friendship. The county was created in 1848 and organized in 1853. Sources differ as to whether its name is in honor o ...

, and

Adair County, Iowa Adair County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,496. Its county seat is Greenfield. History Adair County was formed in 1851 from sections of Pottawattamie County. It was named for John Adair, ...

. 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 The Federal Information Processing Standard Publication 6-4 (FIPS 6-4) is a five-digit Federal Information Processing Standards code which uniquely identified counties and county equivalents in the United States, certain U.S. possessions, and certa ...

are to the Census Bureau Info page for that county.

List

{{Countytabletop , region_width = , fips_ref = , region_seat_title =

County seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

, region_seat_width = , region_seat_ref = {{cite web, url=http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/state.cfm&state.cfm&statecode=MN, title=NACo - Find a county, author=National Association of Counties, access-date=24 February 2012, url-status=dead, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181322/http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=%2Fcffiles%2Fcounties%2Fstate.cfm&state.cfm&statecode=MN, archive-date=30 September 2007 , data2_title = {{abbr, Est., Established , data2_width = , data2_ref = , data3_title = Origin , data3_width = , data3_ref = , data4_unsortable = yes , population_ref = , area_ref = {{cite web, url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/MN/PST045221, title=Minnesota QuickFacts, work=U.S. Census Bureau, access-date=31 March 2022 {{Countyrow, Name=Aitkin , N=27 , Num=001 , Seat=Aitkin , Data1=1857 , Data2= Pine County, Ramsey County , Data3=

William Alexander Aitken William Alexander Aitken, also known as William Alexander Aitkin (–1851), was a fur trader with the Ojibwe in the Upper Mississippi region. He was at first affiliated with the American Fur Company, founded by John Jacob Astor, but after 18 ...

(1785-1851), early fur trader with

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

Indians , Population=15887 , Area=1819.30 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Anoka , N=27 , Num=003 , Seat=Anoka , Data1=1857 , Data2= Ramsey County , Data3=

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota ...

word meaning "both sides" , Population=367018 , Area=423.61 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Becker , N=27 , Num=005 , Seat=Detroit Lakes , Data1=1858 , Data2= Cass County,

Pembina County Pembina County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. At the 2020 census its population was 6,844. The county seat is Cavalier. History For thousands of years, various indigenous peoples inhabited the area along the Pembina and Red r ...

, Data3= George Loomis Becker, former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul (1856–1857) , Population=35219 , Area=1310.42 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Beltrami , N=27 , Num=007 , Seat=Bemidji , Data1=1866 , Data2= Unorganized Territory, Itasca County,

, Polk County , Data3=

Giacomo Beltrami Giacomo Costantino Beltrami (1779 – January 6, 1855) was an Italian jurist, author, and explorer, known for claiming to have discovered the headwaters of the Mississippi River in 1823 while on a trip through much of the United States (later exp ...

, Italian explorer who explored the northern reaches of Mississippi River in 1823. , Population=46380 , Area=2505.27 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Benton , N=27 , Num=009 , Seat=Foley , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties; formed from residual

St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory St. Croix County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 93,536. Its county seat is Hudson. The county was created in 1840 (then in the Wisconsin Territory) and organized in 1849. St. Croix County ...

. , Data3= Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), former United States Senator from Missouri (1821-1851) , Population=41459 , Area=408.28 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Big Stone , N=27 , Num=011 , Seat=Ortonville , Data1=1862 , Data2= Pierce County , Data3=

Big Stone Lake Big Stone Lake ( dak, Íŋyaŋ Tháŋka Bdé) is a long, narrow freshwater lake and reservoir on the border between western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota in the United States. Description The lake covers , stretching from end to end ...

, a lake located in the county , Population=5145 , Area=496.95 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Blue Earth , N=27 , Num=013 , Seat=Mankato , Data1=1853 , Data2= Unorganized Territory,

Dakota County Dakota County may refer to: * Dakota County, Minnesota in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area of east-central Minnesota * Dakota County, Nebraska in northeastern Nebraska {{Geodis, uscounty ...

, Data3=

Blue Earth River The Blue Earth River ( dak, Makhátho Wakpá) is a tributary of the Minnesota River, long, in southern Minnesota in the United States. Two of its headwaters tributaries, the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch Blue Earth River, a ...

, a river that flows through Minnesota , Population=69280 , Area=752.36 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Brown , N=27 , Num=015 , Seat=New Ulm , Data1=1855 , Data2= Blue Earth County , Data3= Joseph Renshaw Brown (1805-1870), member of Minnesota territorial legislature (1854-55) and prominent pioneer , Population=25819 , Area=610.86 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Carlton , N=27 , Num=017 , Seat=Carlton , Data1=1857 , Data2= Pine County,
Saint Louis County , Data3=Rueben B. Carlton (1812-1863), early settler and state senator (1857-1858) , Population=36409 , Area=860.33 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Carver , N=27 , Num=019 , Seat=Chaska , Data1=1855 , Data2=

Hennepin County Hennepin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneap ...

, Sibley County , Data3=

Jonathan Carver Jonathan Carver (April 13, 1710 – January 31, 1780) was a captain in a Massachusetts colonial unit, explorer, and writer. After his exploration of the northern Mississippi valley and western Great Lakes region, he published an account of his exp ...

(1710–1790), early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river. , Population=108626 , Area=357.04 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Cass , N=27 , Num=021 , Seat=Walker , Data1=1851 , Data2=

, Mankahto County, Wahnata County , Data3=

Lewis Cass Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He wa ...

(1782–1866), senator from Michigan (1845–1857) and

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's ...

(1831–1836) , Population=30639 , Area=2017.60 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Chippewa , N=27 , Num=023 , Seat=Montevideo , Data1=1870 , Data2= Pierce County, Davis County , Data3= Chippewa River, a river that flows through Minnesota , Population=12357 , Area=582.80 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Chisago , N=27 , Num=025 , Seat=Center City , Data1=1851 , Data2= Washington County, Ramsey County , Data3= Chisago Lake, a lake located in the county , Population=57469 , Area=417.63 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Clay , N=27 , Num=027 , Seat=Moorhead , Data1=1862 , Data2=

, Data3=

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, ...

(1777-1852), Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825–1829) , Population=65574 , Area=1045.24 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Clearwater , N=27 , Num=029 , Seat=Bagley , Data1=1902 , Data2=

Beltrami County Beltrami County ( ) is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,228. Its county seat is Bemidji. The county's name comes from Italian adventurer Giacomo Beltrami from Berg ...

, Data3=Clearwater River and lake, both features located in the state , Population=8576 , Area=994.71 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Cook , N=27 , Num=031 , Seat=Grand Marais , Data1=1874 , Data2= Lake County , Data3=Named for

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...

veteran Major Michael Cook of Faribault, who was also a territorial and state senator 1857-62 , Population=5617 , Area=1450.60 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Cottonwood , N=27 , Num=033 , Seat=Windom , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3= Cottonwood River , Population=11569 , Area=639.99 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Crow Wing , N=27 , Num=035 , Seat=Brainerd , Data1=1857 , Data2= Ramsey County , Data3=

Crow Wing River The Crow Wing River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 29, 2012 tributary of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, United States. The river rises at an elevation ...

, Population=67270 , Area=996.57 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Dakota , N=27 , Num=037 , Seat=Hastings , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties. , Data3=From the

Dakota language Dakota (''Dakhótiyapi, Dakȟótiyapi''), also referred to as Dakhota, is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Sioux tribes. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lakota language. It is critically endan ...

, after a local tribe ''Dakota'', meaning "Allies", Population=442038 , Area=569.58 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Dodge , N=27 , Num=039 , Seat=Mantorville , Data1=1855 , Data2= Rice County, Unorganized Territory , Data3=

Henry Dodge Moses Henry Dodge (October 12, 1782 – June 19, 1867) was a Democratic member to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son, Augustus C. Dodge, served as ...

(1782–1867), twice governor of Wisconsin. , Population=20935 , Area=439.50 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Douglas , N=27 , Num=041 , Seat=Alexandria , Data1=1858 , Data2= Cass County,

, Data3= Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861), former United States Senator from Illinois (1847-1861) , Population=39238 , Area=634.32 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Faribault , N=27 , Num=043 , Seat=Blue Earth , Data1=1855 , Data2= Blue Earth County , Data3=

Jean-Baptiste Faribault Jean-Baptiste Faribault (October 19, 1775 – August 20, 1860) was a trader with the Indians and early settler in Minnesota. His father, Barthélemy Faribault, a lawyer of Paris, France, settled in Canada towards the middle of the 18th c ...

(1775-1860), early settler and fur trader , Population=13909 , Area=713.63 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Fillmore , N=27 , Num=045 , Seat=Preston , Data1=1853 , Data2= Wabasha County , Data3=

Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...

(1800-1874), thirteenth president of the United States (1850-1853) , Population=21271 , Area=861.25 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Freeborn , N=27 , Num=047 , Seat=Albert Lea , Data1=1855 , Data2= Blue Earth County, Rice County , Data3=William S. Freeborn (1816-1900), member of the Territorial Legislature, Population=30749 , Area=707.64 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Goodhue , N=27 , Num=049 , Seat=Red Wing , Data1=1853 , Data2= Wabasha County,

, Data3=James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota. , Population=47968 , Area=758.27 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Grant , N=27 , Num=051 , Noseat= Elbow Lake , Data1=1868 , Data2= Stevens County, Wilkin County, Traverse County , Data3=

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union A ...

(1822-1885), eighteenth president of the United States (1869-1877) , Population=6153 , Area=546.41 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Hennepin , N=27 , Num=053 , Seat=Minneapolis , Data1=1852 , Data2=

, Data3= Father Louis Hennepin (1626-1705), early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th Century , Population=1267416 , Area=556.62 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Houston , N=27 , Num=055 , Seat=Caledonia , Data1=1854 , Data2= Fillmore County , Data3=

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

(1793–1863), the second and fourth president of the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from M ...

and seventh governor of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, Population=18778 , Area=558.41 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Hubbard , N=27 , Num=057 , Seat=Park Rapids , Data1=1883 , Data2= Cass County , Data3=

Lucius Frederick Hubbard Lucius Frederick Hubbard (January 26, 1836February 5, 1913) was an American politician. The Republican served as the ninth Governor of Minnesota from January 10, 1882 to January 5, 1887. He also served as an officer in the Union Army during th ...

(1836-1913), ninth governor of Minnesota (1882-1887) , Population=21715 , Area=922.46 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Isanti , N=27 , Num=059 , Seat=Cambridge , Data1=1857 , Data2= Ramsey County , Data3=Division of the

s called the ''Izatys'', meaning ''

hose that A hose is a flexible hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called ''pipes'' (the word ''pipe'' usually refers to a rigid tube, whereas a hose is usually a flexible one), or more generally '' ...

dwell at Knife Lake'', after where they resided. , Population=41906 , Area=439.07 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Itasca , N=27 , Num=061 , Seat=Grand Rapids , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties; formed from residual

La Pointe County, Wisconsin Territory La Pointe County was created on February 19, 1845, by the Territory of Wisconsin from the northern portion of the existing territorial St. Croix County, encompassing the remaining portions of the Northwest Territory in Wisconsin Territory north of ...

. , Data3=

Lake Itasca Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately in area. Located in southeastern Clearwater County, in the Headwaters area of north central Minnesota, it is notable for being the headwater of the Mississippi River. The lake is in Itasca St ...

, source of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...

(located in northwestern Minnesota). , Population=45070 , Area=2665.06 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Jackson , N=27 , Num=063 , Seat=Jackson , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3= Henry Jackson, member of the first

territorial A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

legislature and the first merchant in

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, Population=9990 , Area=701.69 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Kanabec , N=27 , Num=065 , Seat=Mora , Data1=1858 , Data2= Pine County , Data3=From the

Ojibwe language Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian la ...

Kan-a-bec-o-si-pi (''Ginebigo-ziibi''), meaning

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snak ...

, which flows through the county , Population=16159 , Area=524.93 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Kandiyohi , N=27 , Num=067 , Seat=Willmar , Data1=1858 , Data2= Meeker County, Renville County, Pierce County, Davis County,

Stearns County Stearns County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,292. Its county seat and largest city is St. Cloud. The county was founded in 1855. It was originally named for Isaac Ingalls Stevens, the ...

, Data3=From the

Sioux language Sioux is a Siouan language spoken by over 30,000 Sioux in the United States and Canada, making it the fifth most spoken indigenous language in the United States or Canada, behind Navajo, Cree, Inuit languages, and Ojibwe. Regional variation ...

for " buffalo fish" , Population=43767 , Area=796.06 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Kittson , N=27 , Num=069 , Seat=Hallock , Data1=1879 , Data2= Pembina County , Data3=

Norman Kittson Norman Wolfred Kittson (March 6, 1814 – May 10, 1888) was one of early Minnesota's most prominent citizens. He was best known as first a fur trader, then a steamboat-line operator and finally a railway entrepreneur and owner of thoroughbr ...

(1814-1888), businessman and mayor of Saint Paul (1858-1859) , Population=4146 , Area=1097.08 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Koochiching , N=27 , Num=071 , Seat=International Falls , Data1=1906 , Data2= Itasca County , Data3=From the

''Gojijiing'' (Place of inlets), which was the Cree name for

Rainy Lake Rainy Lake (French: '; Ojibwe: ') is a freshwater lake with a surface area of that straddles the border between the United States and Canada. The Rainy River issues from the west side of the lake and is harnessed to make hydroelectricity for U ...

and Rainy River. , Population=11941 , Area=3102.36 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Lac qui Parle , N=27 , Num=073 , Seat=Madison , Data1=1871 , Data2= Redwood County , Data3=French phrase meaning "lake which talks". , Population=6684 , Area=764.87 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Lake , N=27 , Num=075 , Seat=Two Harbors , Data1=1856 , Data2= Itasca County , Data3=

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh w ...

, which forms one of its edges , Population=10986 , Area=2099.16 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Lake of the Woods , N=27 , Num=077 , Seat=Baudette , Data1=1923 , Data2=

, Data3= Lake of the Woods, a lake located within the county. , Population=3823 , Area=1296.70 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Le Sueur , N=27 , Num=079 , Seat=Le Center , Data1=1853 , Data2=

, Data3=

Pierre-Charles Le Sueur Pierre-Charles Le Sueur (c. 1657, Artois, France – 17 July 1704, Havana, Cuba) was a French fur trader and explorer in North America, recognized as the first known European to explore the Minnesota River valley. Le Sueur came to Canada with ...

(1657-1704), fur trader and early explorer of the

Minnesota River Valley The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It ris ...

, Population=28841 , Area=448.50 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Lincoln , N=27 , Num=081 , Seat=Ivanhoe , Data1=1873 , Data2= Lyon County , Data3=

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

(1809-1865), sixteenth president of the United States (1861-1865) , Population=5567 , Area=537.03 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Lyon , N=27 , Num=083 , Seat=Marshall , Data1=1871 , Data2= Redwood County , Data3=

Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...

(1818–1861), United States Army general killed during the Civil War , Population=25231 , Area=714.17 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=McLeod , N=27 , Num=085 , Seat=Glencoe , Data1=1856 , Data2=

Carver County Carver County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is mostly farmland and wilderness with many unincorporated townships. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,922. Its county seat is Chaska. Carver County is named fo ...

, Sibley County , Data3=Martin McLeod early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature (1849–1856) , Population=36735 , Area=491.91 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Mahnomen , N=27 , Num=087 , Seat=Mahnomen , Data1=1906 , Data2=

Norman County Norman County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 6,441. Its county seat is Ada. The county is in Minnesota's Red River Valley region. History The coun ...

, Data3=Ojibwa word meaning "wild rice". , Population=5414 , Area=556.14 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Marshall , N=27 , Num=089 , Seat=Warren , Data1=1879 , Data2= Kittson County , Data3=

William Rainey Marshall Willian Rainey Marshall (October 17, 1825January 8, 1896) was an American politician. He was the fifth Governor of Minnesota from January 8, 1866 to January 9, 1870 and was a member of the Republican party. He served as an officer in the 7th M ...

(1825-1896), fifth governor of Minnesota (1866-1870) , Population=8988 , Area=1772.24 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Martin , N=27 , Num=091 , Seat=Fairmont , Data1=1857 , Data2=

Faribault County Faribault County () is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,921. Its county seat is Blue Earth. History The county was founded in 1855. It was named for Jean-Baptiste Faribault, a settler an ...

, Brown County , Data3=

Morgan Lewis Martin Morgan Lewis Martin (March 31, 1805December 10, 1887) was a delegate to the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin Territory during the 29th United States Congress (1845–1847). He also served as a member of the Wisconsin St ...

(1805-1887), delegate to Congress from

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

, Population=19915 , Area=709.34 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Meeker , N=27 , Num=093 , Seat=Litchfield , Data1=1856 , Data2= Davis County , Data3=Bradley B. Meeker (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849–1853) , Population=23376 , Area=608.54 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Mille Lacs , N=27 , Num=095 , Seat=Milaca , Data1=1857 , Data2= Ramsey County , Data3=

Mille Lacs Lake Mille Lacs Lake (also called Lake Mille Lacs or Mille Lacs) is a large but shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly 75 miles north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul m ...

, a lake located within the county. , Population=26867 , Area=574.47 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Morrison , N=27 , Num=097 , Seat=Little Falls , Data1=1856 , Data2= Benton County , Data3=William & Allan Morrison, fur trading brothersMCHS – William Morrison – Fur Trader
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723183222/http://www.morrisoncountyhistory.org/histwill.html , date=2008-07-23 , Population=33992 , Area=1124.50 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Mower , N=27 , Num=099 , Seat=Austin , Data1=1855 , Data2= Rice County , Data3= John Edward Mower (1815–1879), member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s , Population=40158 , Area=711.50 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Murray , N=27 , Num=101 , Seat=Slayton , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=William Pitt Murray (1825–1910), Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature (1852–1855) and 1857 , Population=8144 , Area=704.43 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Nicollet , N=27 , Num=103 , Seat=St. Peter , Data1=1853 , Data2=

, Data3=

Joseph Nicolas Nicollet Joseph Nicolas Nicollet (July 24, 1786 – September 11, 1843), also known as Jean-Nicolas Nicollet, was a French geographer, astronomer, and mathematician known for mapping the Upper Mississippi River basin during the 1830s. Nicollet led thre ...

(1786–1843), early explorer and cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River , Population=34332 , Area=452.29 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Nobles , N=27 , Num=105 , Seat=Worthington , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=William H. Nobles, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856 , Population=21991 , Area=715.39 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Norman , N=27 , Num=107 , Seat=Ada , Data1=1881 , Data2= Polk County , Data3=Early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers. , Population=6416 , Area=876.27 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Olmsted , N=27 , Num=109 , Seat=Rochester , Data1=1855 , Data2= Fillmore County, Wabasha County, Rice County , Data3=

David Olmsted David Olmsted (May 5, 1822 – February 2, 1861) was the fourth mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota and first president of the Minnesota Territorial Council. He was a Democrat. Career He was born in Fairfax, Vermont, and spent many years as a tra ...

, first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature (1849-1850) , Population=163436 , Area=653.01 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Otter Tail , N=27 , Num=111 , Seat=Fergus Falls , Data1=1858 , Data2=

, Cass County , Data3= Otter Tail Lake, a lake located within the county , Population=60046 , Area=1979.71 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Pennington , N=27 , Num=113 , Seat=Thief River Falls , Data1=1910 , Data2= Red Lake County , Data3=Edmund Pennington (b. 1848), executive of the

Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (MStP&SSM) was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwestern United States. Commonly known since its opening in 1884 as the Soo Line after the phonetic sp ...

, Population=13780 , Area=616.54 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Pine , N=27 , Num=115 , Seat=Pine City , Data1=1856 , Data2= Chisago County, Ramsey County , Data3=Giant forests of

Eastern White Pine ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland, Canada west ...

and

Red Pine ''Pinus resinosa'', known as red pine (also Norway pine in Minnesota), is a pine native to North America. Description Red pine is a coniferous evergreen tree characterized by tall, straight growth. It usually ranges from in height and in trun ...

that flourish in the county, Population=29302 , Area=1411.04 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Pipestone , N=27 , Num=117 , Seat=Pipestone , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=Name of a sacred

quarry of red pipestone found in the county , Population=9313 , Area=465.89 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Polk , N=27 , Num=119 , Seat=Crookston , Data1=1858 , Data2=

, Data3=

James K. Polk James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (18 ...

(1795-1849), eleventh president of the United States (1845-1849) , Population=30757 , Area=1970.37 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Pope , N=27 , Num=121 , Seat=Glenwood , Data1=1862 , Data2= Pierce County, Cass County, Unorganized Territory , Data3= John Pope (1822–1892), United States Army general during the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

, Population=11403 , Area=670.14 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Ramsey , N=27 , Num=123 , Seat=Saint Paul , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties; formed from residual

. , Data3=

Alexander Ramsey Alexander Ramsey (September 8, 1815 April 22, 1903) was an American politician. He served as a Whig and Republican over a variety of offices between the 1840s and the 1880s. He was the first Minnesota Territorial Governor. Early years and f ...

(1815-1903), first governor of Minnesota Territory (1849-1853) , Population=543257 , Area=155.78 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Red Lake , N=27 , Num=125 , Seat=Red Lake Falls , Data1=1896 , Data2= Polk County , Data3=

Red Lake River The Red Lake River (French: ''Rivière du Lac Rouge''; Ojibwe: ''Miskwaagamiiwi-zaaga'iganiiwi-ziibi'') is a river located in northwestern Minnesota. The river begins on the western side of the Lower Red Lake and flows westward. After passing throu ...

, a river that flows through Minnesota. , Population=3933 , Area=432.43 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Redwood , N=27 , Num=127 , Seat=Redwood Falls , Data1=1862 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=

Redwood River The Redwood River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, long, in southwestern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in an agricultural region. The rive ...

, a river that flows through Minnesota. , Population=15366 , Area=879.73 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Renville , N=27 , Num=129 , Seat=Olivia , Data1=1855 , Data2=

Nicollet County Nicollet County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,454. Its county seat is St. Peter. Nicollet County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. History In 1 ...

, Pierce County, Sibley County , Data3=

Joseph Renville Joseph Renville (1779–1846) was an interpreter, translator, expedition guide, Canadian officer in the War of 1812, founder of the Columbia Fur Company, and an important figure in dealings between white men and Dakota (Sioux) Indians in Minne ...

(1779-1846), interpreter for early explorations of the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

, Population=14608 , Area=982.92 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Rice , N=27 , Num=131 , Seat=Faribault , Data1=1853 , Data2=

, Wabasha County , Data3=

Henry Mower Rice Henry Mower Rice (November 29, 1816January 15, 1894) was a fur trader and an American politician prominent in the statehood of Minnesota. Early life Henry Rice was born on November 29, 1816, in Waitsfield, Vermont to Edmund Rice and Ellen (Durk ...

(1816-1894), former United States Senator from Minnesota (1858-1863) , Population=67262 , Area=497.57 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Rock , N=27 , Num=133 , Seat=Luverne , Data1=1857 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=Large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound." , Population=9680 , Area=482.61 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Roseau , N=27 , Num=135 , Seat=Roseau , Data1=1894 , Data2= Kittson County,

, Data3= Roseau River and Roseau Lake, both of which are located nearby , Population=15258 , Area=1662.51 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Saint Louis , N=27 , Num=137 , Seat=Duluth , Data1=1855 , Data2= Itasca County, Newton , Data3= Saint Louis River, a river that flows through Minnesota , Population=199182 , Area=6225.16 , Map=Map of Minnesota highlighting Saint Louis County.svg , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Scott , N=27 , Num=139 , Seat=Shakopee , Data1=1853 , Data2=

, Data3=

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...

(1786–1866), United States Army general who served from (1808–1861) , Population=153268 , Area=356.68 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Sherburne , N=27 , Num=141 , Seat=Elk River , Data1=1856 , Data2= Benton County , Data3= Moses Sherburne (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1853-1857) , Population=99074 , Area=436.30 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Sibley , N=27 , Num=143 , Seat=Gaylord , Data1=1853 , Data2=

, Data3=

Henry Hastings Sibley Henry Hastings Sibley (February 20, 1811 – February 18, 1891) was a fur trader with the American Fur Company, the first U.S. Congressional representative for Minnesota Territory, the first governor of the state of Minnesota, and a U.S. mil ...

(1811-1891), first governor of Minnesota (1858-1860) , Population=14917 , Area=588.65 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Stearns , N=27 , Num=145 , Seat=St. Cloud , Data1=1855 , Data2= Cass County,

, Pierce County, Sibley County , Data3=

Charles Thomas Stearns Charles Thomas Stearns (January 9, 1807 – May 22, 1898) was an American politician, mayor of Peoria, Illinois (1846),member of the Minnesota Territorial Council (1849–1858) representing the 3rd District from 1854–55, and had taken an active ...

(1814-1888), early settler of St. Cloud and member of the Minnesota territorial legislature (1849-1858) , Population=158947 , Area=1344.52 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Steele , N=27 , Num=147 , Seat=Owatonna , Data1=1855 , Data2= Rice County, Blue Earth County,

Le Sueur County Le Sueur County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,674. Its county seat is Le Center. Le Sueur County is part of the Minneapolis- St. Paul- Bloomington ...

, Data3=

Franklin Steele Franklin Steele (1813 – September 10, 1880) was an early settler of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, of Scottish descent, Steele worked in the Lancaster post office as a young man, where he once met James Bucha ...

(1813-1880), early settler of Minneapolis and developer of

Saint Anthony Falls Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony ( dak, italics=no, Owámniyomni, ) located at the northeastern edge of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the only natural major waterfall on the Mississippi River. Throughout the mid-to-late 1 ...

, Population=37349 , Area=429.55 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Stevens , N=27 , Num=149 , Seat=Morris , Data1=1862 , Data2= Pierce County, Unorganized Territory , Data3=

Isaac Ingalls Stevens Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 – September 1, 1862) was an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and later as its delegate to the United States House of Represe ...

(1818-1862), first governor of

Washington Territory The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from th ...

(1853-1857) , Population=9700 , Area=562.06 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Swift , N=27 , Num=151 , Seat=Benson , Data1=1870 , Data2= Chippewa County , Data3=

Henry Adoniram Swift Henry Adoniram Swift (March 23, 1823February 25, 1869) was an American politician who was the third Governor of Minnesota. He served as governor from July 10, 1863 to January 11, 1864 after serving as the third Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota ...

(1823-1869), third governor of Minnesota (1863-1864) , Population=9749 , Area=743.53 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Todd , N=27 , Num=153 , Seat=Long Prairie , Data1=1855 , Data2= Cass County , Data3=

John Blair Smith Todd John Blair Smith Todd (April 4, 1814 – January 5, 1872) was a Delegate from Dakota Territory to the United States House of Representatives and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life, education, and fami ...

, commander of Fort Ripley (1849-56); general in the

; delegate in Congress from

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...

(1861 and 1863-65); governor of Dakota Territory (1869-71) , Population=25237 , Area=942.02 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Traverse , N=27 , Num=155 , Seat=Wheaton , Data1=1862 , Data2= Pierce County, Unorganized Territory , Data3=

Lake Traverse Lake Traverse is the southernmost body of water in the Hudson Bay watershed of North America. It lies along the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and South Dakota. A low continental divide, part of the Laurentian Divide, separates the ...

, a lake located in the county. , Population=3286 , Area=574.09 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Wabasha , N=27 , Num=157 , Seat=Wabasha , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties. , Data3=Named after M'dewakanton Dakota Indian Chief Wabasha III , Population=21509 , Area=525.01 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Wadena , N=27 , Num=159 , Seat=Wadena , Data1=1858 , Data2= Cass County, Todd County , Data3=Wadena Trading Post, in turn for a Ojibway word meaning "a little round hill"., Population=14177 , Area=535.02 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Waseca , N=27 , Num=161 , Seat=Waseca , Data1=1857 , Data2= Steele County , Data3=Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile" , Population=19000 , Area=423.25 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Washington , N=27 , Num=163 , Seat=Stillwater , Data1=1849 , Data2=One of nine original counties; formed from residual

. , Data3= George Washington (1732-1799), first president of the United States (1789-1797) , Population=272256 , Area=391.70 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Watonwan , N=27 , Num=165 , Seat=St. James , Data1=1860 , Data2= Brown County , Data3=

Watonwan River The Watonwan River is a tributary of the Blue Earth River, long, in southern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Blue Earth and Minnesota rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in an agricultural re ...

, a river that flows through Minnesota. , Population=11135 , Area=434.51 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Wilkin , N=27 , Num=167 , Seat=Breckenridge , Data1=1858 , Data2= Cass County,

, Data3=Alexander Wilkin (1820-1864), Minnesota politician and soldier killed in the Civil War , Population=6395 , Area=751.43 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Winona , N=27 , Num=169 , Seat=Winona , Data1=1854 , Data2= Fillmore County, Wabasha County , Data3=Named after Wee-No-Nah, Sister or Cousin of Chief Wabasha III , Population=49630 , Area=626.30 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Wright , N=27 , Num=171 , Seat=Buffalo , Data1=1855 , Data2= Cass County, Sibley County , Data3=

Silas Wright Silas Wright Jr. (May 24, 1795 – August 27, 1847) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. A member of the Albany Regency, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York State Comptroller, United Stat ...

(1795-1847), former United States Senator from New York (1833-1844) , Population=144845 , Area=660.75 , Size=100px {{Countyrow, Name=Yellow Medicine , N=27 , Num=173 , Seat=Granite Falls , Data1=1871 , Data2= Redwood County , Data3= Yellow Medicine River, a river that flows through Minnesota. , Population=9411 , Area=757.96 , Size=100px

Historical counties

*St. Clair County, Indiana (1801–12) (Transferred to Illinois in 1809) *St. Charles County, Louisiana (1809–13) (Transferred to Missouri in 1812) *Madison County (IL) (1812–18) Formed from St. Clair County (IL) *Michilimackinac County, Michigan Territory (1818–37) *

Crawford County Crawford County is the name of eleven counties in the United States: * Crawford County, Arkansas * Crawford County, Georgia * Crawford County, Illinois * Crawford County, Indiana * Crawford County, Iowa * Crawford County, Kansas * Crawford County ...

, Michigan and Wisconsin Territories (1818–40) * Chippewa County, Michigan Territory (1827–37) *Dubuque County (MI) (1834–37) *Fayette County (WI) (1837–49) *

St. Croix County St. Croix County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 93,536. Its county seat is Hudson. The county was created in 1840 (then in the Wisconsin Territory) and organized in 1849. St. Croix Co ...

, Wisconsin Territory (1840–49) * La Pointe County, Wisconsin Territory (1845–49) Formed from St. Croix *Mahkatah County (1849–51) (Mahkahto) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass *Wahnata County (1849–51) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass * Buchanan County (1857–61) Formed from Pine County, Dissolved back to Pine * Pierce County (1853–62) Formed from Dakota County * Superior County Name change to Saint Louis County then to Lake. * Davis County (1855–62) Formed from Cass, Nicollet and Sibley Counties * Toombs County (1858–62) Formed from Pembina. Name Changed to Andy Johnson. *

Newton County Newton County is the name of six counties in the United States. All except for Arkansas (and perhaps Mississippi) are named for Sgt. John Newton, a soldier of the American Revolutionary War who became a fictionalized hero. Many counties share a bo ...

(1855–6) Formed from Itasca County and Un-Organized. Name Changed from Doty County, then to Saint Louis County. * Monroe County merged with Mille Lacs. * Lincoln County (1861–8) Formed from Renville County *

Lac qui Parle County Lac qui Parle County () is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,719. Its county seat is Madison. The largest city in the county is Dawson. History The name of the county is French for "Lake ...

(1862–8) Formed from Davis * Manomin County (1857–1869) Formed from Ramsey County, Merged into

Anoka County Anoka County ( ) is the fourth-most-populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 363,887. The county seat and namesake of the county is the city of Anoka, which is derived from the Dakota word ''a ...

. * Monongalia County (1861–70) Formed from Ramsey County, Pierce County and un-Organized. Dissolved to Kandiyohi County. * Aiken County (1857–72) Formed from Pine and Ramsey Counties, Change name to Aitkin County *

(1849–78) (One of Original 9 counties) Name Change to Kittson County * Saint Louis County. Name change from Superior, then to Lake. * Breckenridge County (1858–62) Formed from Pembina. Name Change to Clay in 1862 * Andy Johnson County (1862–8) Formerly Toombs county. Named was changed to Wilkin. * Midway County (1857–8) Area created from Brown county, overlapped Pipestone county. Dissolved in 1858 when the State of Minnesota was formed and the rest of the territory not added to the state became unorganized.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Map of the Organized Counties of Minnesota, 1850
{{U.S. Counties {{Minnesota Minnesota, counties in

Counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...