Editing List of counties in Minnesota

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{{Minnesota County Labelled Map|float=right}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

There are 87 [[County (United States)|counties]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Minnesota]]. There are also several [[List of counties in Minnesota#Historical counties|historical counties]].

On October 27, 1849, nine counties were established: [[Benton County, Minnesota|Benton]], [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dahkotah]], [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca]], [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey]], Mahkahta, [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina]], [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha]], [[Washington County, Minnesota|Washington]], and [[Wahnata County, Minnesota Territory|Wahnata]]. Six of these names still exist. With the foundation of Kittson County on March 9, 1878, Pembina County no longer existed.<ref name="Place">{{cite web|url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/|title=Minnesota Place Names|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|access-date=September 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814134732/http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/|archive-date=August 14, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="AMC">{{cite web|title=Minnesota County History|publisher =Association of Minnesota Counties|url=http://www.mncounties.org/about_counties.htm|access-date=September 2, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070813020231/http://www.mncounties.org/about_counties.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = August 13, 2007}}</ref>

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]], [[Adams County, Wisconsin]], and [[Adair County, Iowa]]. 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.<ref name="FIPS">{{cite web|url= http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/codes/mn.html|title= EPA County FIPS Code Listing|publisher= EPA|access-date= April 9, 2007}}</ref>

==List==
{{Countytabletop
|region_width      =
|fips_ref          = <ref name="FIPS"/>
|region_seat_title = [[County seat]]
|region_seat_width =
|region_seat_ref   = <ref name="NACO">{{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=February 24, 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=September 30, 2007}}</ref>
|data2_title       = {{abbr|Est.|Established}}
|data2_width       =
|data2_ref         = <ref name="Place"/><ref name="NACO"/>
|data3_title       = Origin
|data3_width       =
|data3_ref         = <ref>{{cite book|title=Minnesota Geographic Names|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog|last=Upham|first=Warren|year=1969|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|location=St. Paul}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mncounties.org/About_Counties/county_names.htm|title=County Name Origins|work=Association of Minnesota Counties|access-date=November 5, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080527203912/http://www.mncounties.org/About_Counties/county_names.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = May 27, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.mn.us/student/coorigan.html|title=Origin of Minnesota County Name|work=Minnesota Secretary of State|access-date=November 5, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108163956/http://www.sos.state.mn.us/student/coorigan.html|archive-date=November 8, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|data4_unsortable  = yes
|population_ref    = <ref name="Cen"/>
|area_ref          = <ref name="NACO"/><ref name="Cen">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/MN/PST045221|title=Minnesota QuickFacts|work=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>
}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Aitkin |N=27 |Num=001 |Seat=Aitkin |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine County]], [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]]  |Data3=[[William Alexander Aitken]] <small>(1785–1851)</small>, early fur trader with [[Ojibwe]] Indians |Population=16335 |Area=1819.30 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Anoka |N=27 |Num=003 |Seat=Anoka |Data1=1857 |Data2=[[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]]  |Data3=[[Dakota language|Dakota]] word meaning "both sides" |Population=376840 |Area=423.61 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Becker |N=27 |Num=005 |Seat=Detroit Lakes |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]]  |Data3=[[George Loomis Becker]], former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul <small>(1856–1857)</small> |Population=35444 |Area=1310.42 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Beltrami |N=27 |Num=007 |Seat=Bemidji |Data1=1866 |Data2= Unorganized Territory, [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]], [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]], [[Polk County, Minnesota|Polk County]] |Data3=[[Giacomo Beltrami]], Italian explorer who explored the northern reaches of Mississippi River in 1823 |Population=46762 |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]] |Data3=[[Thomas Hart Benton (senator)|Thomas Hart Benton]] <small>(1782–1858)</small>, former United States Senator from Missouri <small>(1821–1851)</small> |Population=41881 |Area=408.28 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Big Stone |N=27 |Num=011 |Seat=Ortonville |Data1=1862 |Data2= [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]] |Data3=[[Big Stone Lake]] |Population=5067 |Area=496.95 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Blue Earth |N=27 |Num=013 |Seat=Mankato |Data1=1853 |Data2= Unorganized Territory, [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]]  |Data3=[[Blue Earth River]] |Population=70700 |Area=752.36 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Brown |N=27 |Num=015 |Seat=New Ulm |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]]  |Data3=[[Joseph Renshaw Brown]] <small>(1805–1870)</small>, member of Minnesota territorial legislature <small>(1854–55)</small> and prominent pioneer  |Population=25710 |Area=610.86 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Carlton |N=27 |Num=017 |Seat=Carlton |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine County]],<br>[[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]] |Data3=Rueben B. Carlton <small>(1812–1863)</small>, early settler and state senator <small>(1857–1858)</small> |Population=36745 |Area=860.33 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Carver |N=27 |Num=019 |Seat=Chaska |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Hennepin County, Minnesota|Hennepin County]], [[Sibley County, Minnesota|Sibley County]]  |Data3=[[Jonathan Carver]] <small>(1710–1790)</small>, early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river |Population=112628 |Area=357.04 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Cass |N=27 |Num=021 |Seat=Walker |Data1=1851 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]], [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]], Mankahto County, Wahnata County |Data3=[[Lewis Cass]] <small> (1782–1866)</small>, senator from Michigan <small>(1845–1857) </small> and [[United States Secretary of State]] <small> (1831–1836)</small> |Population=31442 |Area=2017.60 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Chippewa |N=27 |Num=023 |Seat=Montevideo |Data1=1870 |Data2= [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], [[Davis County, Minnesota|Davis County]]  |Data3=[[Chippewa River (Minnesota)|Chippewa River]] |Population=12299 |Area=582.80 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Chisago |N=27 |Num=025 |Seat=Center City |Data1=1851 |Data2= [[Washington County, Minnesota|Washington County]], [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]]  |Data3=[[Chisago Lake]] |Population=59105 |Area=417.63 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Clay |N=27 |Num=027 |Seat=Moorhead |Data1=1862 |Data2= [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]] |Data3=[[Henry Clay]] <small>(1777–1852)</small>, Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States <small>(1825–1829)</small> |Population=66848 |Area=1045.24 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Clearwater |N=27 |Num=029 |Seat=Bagley |Data1=1902 |Data2= [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]] |Data3=[[Clearwater River (Red Lake River tributary)|Clearwater River]] and Clearwater Lake |Population=8630 |Area=994.71 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Cook |N=27 |Num=031 |Seat=Grand Marais |Data1=1874 |Data2= [[Lake County, Minnesota|Lake County]]  |Data3=Named for [[American Civil War|Civil War]] veteran Major Michael Cook of [[Faribault, Minnesota|Faribault]], who was also a territorial and state senator 1857–62 |Population=5571 |Area=1450.60 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Cottonwood |N=27 |Num=033 |Seat=Windom |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=[[Cottonwood River (Minnesota)|Cottonwood River]] |Population=11338 |Area=639.99 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Crow Wing |N=27 |Num=035 |Seat=Brainerd |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]]  |Data3=[[Crow Wing River]] |Population=68642 |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]], after a local tribe ''Dakota'', meaning "Allies"|Population=453156 |Area=569.58 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Dodge |N=27 |Num=039 |Seat=Mantorville |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]], Unorganized Territory  |Data3=[[Henry Dodge]] (1782–1867), two-time governor of Wisconsin<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.dodge.mn.us/pdf/history.pdf|title=Dodge County History|work=Dodge County website|format=PDF|access-date=February 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411160552/http://www.co.dodge.mn.us/pdf/history.pdf|archive-date=April 11, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> |Population=21242 |Area=439.50 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Douglas |N=27 |Num=041 |Seat=Alexandria  |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]] |Data3=[[Stephen Arnold Douglas]] <small>(1813–1861)</small>, former United States Senator from Illinois <small>(1847–1861)</small> |Population=39933 |Area=634.32 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Faribault |N=27 |Num=043 |Seat=Blue Earth |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]]  |Data3=[[Jean-Baptiste Faribault]] <small>(1775–1860)</small>, early settler and fur trader |Population=13886 |Area=713.63 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Fillmore |N=27 |Num=045 |Seat=Preston  |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha County]]  |Data3=[[Millard Fillmore]] <small>(1800–1874)</small>, thirteenth president of the United States <small>(1850–1853)</small> |Population=21502 |Area=861.25 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Freeborn |N=27 |Num=047 |Seat=Albert Lea |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]], [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]] |Data3=[[William Freeborn|William S. Freeborn]] <small>(1816–1900)</small>, member of the Territorial Legislature|Population=30314 |Area=707.64 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Goodhue |N=27 |Num=049 |Seat=Red Wing |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha County]], [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]]  |Data3=[[James Madison Goodhue]], the first newspaper editor in Minnesota<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.goodhue.mn.us/visitors/ghc_history.aspx|title=The History of Goodhue County|access-date=February 17, 2008|work=Goodhue County, Minnesota website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606025047/http://www.co.goodhue.mn.us/visitors/ghc_history.aspx|archive-date=June 6, 2008}}</ref> |Population=47982 |Area=758.27 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Grant |N=27 |Num=051 |Noseat=[[Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota|Elbow Lake]] |Data1=1868 |Data2= [[Stevens County, Minnesota|Stevens County]], [[Wilkin County, Minnesota|Wilkin County]], [[Traverse County, Minnesota|Traverse County]] |Data3=[[Ulysses S. Grant]] <small>(1822–1885)</small>, eighteenth president of the United States <small>(1869–1877)</small> |Population=6109 |Area=546.41 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Hennepin |N=27 |Num=053 |Seat=Minneapolis |Data1=1852 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]] |Data3=[[Louis Hennepin|Father Louis Hennepin]] <small>(1626–1705)</small>, early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th century |Population=1273334 |Area=556.62 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Houston |N=27 |Num=055 |Seat=Caledonia |Data1=1854 |Data2= [[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore County]] |Data3=[[Sam Houston]] <small>(1793–1863)</small>, the second and fourth president of the [[Republic of Texas]] and seventh governor of [[Texas]] |Population=18352 |Area=558.41 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Hubbard |N=27 |Num=057 |Seat=Park Rapids |Data1=1883 |Data2= [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]]  |Data3=[[Lucius Frederick Hubbard]] <small>(1836–1913)</small>, ninth governor of Minnesota <small>(1882–1887)</small> |Population=22050 |Area=922.46 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Isanti |N=27 |Num=059 |Seat=Cambridge  |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]] |Data3=Division of the [[Sioux|Dakota]]s called the ''Izatys'', meaning ''[those that] dwell at Knife Lake'', after where they resided
|Population=43687 |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]] |Data3=[[Lake Itasca]], source of the [[Mississippi River]] (located in northwestern Minnesota) |Population=45442 |Area=2665.06 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Jackson |N=27 |Num=063 |Seat=Jackson |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]] |Data3=[[Henry Jackson (Minnesota pioneer)|Henry Jackson]],  member of the first [[Minnesota Territory|territorial]] legislature and the first merchant in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]]|Population=9861 |Area=701.69 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Kanabec |N=27 |Num=065 |Seat=Mora |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Pine County, Minnesota|Pine County]]  |Data3=From the [[Ojibwe language]] Kan-a-bec-o-si-pi (''Ginebigo-ziibi''), meaning [[Snake River (St. Croix River)|Snake River]], which flows through the county |Population=16608 |Area=524.93 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Kandiyohi |N=27 |Num=067 |Seat=Willmar |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Meeker County, Minnesota|Meeker County]], [[Renville County, Minnesota|Renville County]], [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], [[Davis County, Minnesota|Davis County]], [[Stearns County, Minnesota|Stearns County]] |Data3=From the [[Sioux language]] for "[[buffalo fish]]" |Population=44674 |Area=796.06 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Kittson |N=27 |Num=069 |Seat=Hallock |Data1=1879 |Data2= Pembina County    |Data3=[[Norman Kittson]] <small>(1814–1888)</small>, businessman and mayor of Saint Paul <small>(1858–1859)</small> |Population=3992 |Area=1097.08 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Koochiching |N=27 |Num=071 |Seat=International Falls |Data1=1906 |Data2= [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]] |Data3=From the [[Ojibwe language]] ''Gojijiing'' (Place of inlets), which was the Cree name for [[Rainy Lake]] and [[Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)|Rainy River]] |Population=11594 |Area=3102.36 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Lac qui Parle |N=27 |Num=073 |Seat=Madison |Data1=1871 |Data2= [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]]  |Data3=From the [[French language]] for "lake which talks" |Population=6636 |Area=764.87 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Lake |N=27 |Num=075 |Seat=Two Harbors |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]] |Data3=[[Lake Superior]], which forms one of its edges |Population=10698 |Area=2099.16 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Lake of the Woods |N=27 |Num=077 |Seat=Baudette |Data1=1923 |Data2=[[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]] |Data3=[[Lake of the Woods]], a lake located within the county |Population=3797 |Area=1296.70 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Le Sueur |N=27 |Num=079 |Seat=Le Center |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]] |Data3=[[Pierre-Charles Le Sueur]] <small>(1657–1704)</small>, fur trader and early explorer of the [[Minnesota River|Minnesota River Valley]] |Population=29458 |Area=448.50 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Lincoln |N=27 |Num=081 |Seat=Ivanhoe |Data1=1873 |Data2= [[Lyon County, Minnesota|Lyon County]]  |Data3=[[Abraham Lincoln]] <small>(1809–1865)</small>, sixteenth president of the United States <small>(1861–1865)</small> |Population=5564 |Area=537.03 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Lyon |N=27 |Num=083 |Seat=Marshall |Data1=1871 |Data2= [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]]  |Data3=[[Nathaniel Lyon]] <small>(1818–1861)</small>, United States Army general killed during the Civil War |Population=25577 |Area=714.17 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=McLeod |N=27 |Num=085 |Seat=Glencoe  |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Carver County, Minnesota|Carver County]], [[Sibley County, Minnesota|Sibley County]]  |Data3=[[Martin McLeod]], early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature <small>(1849–1856)</small>  |Population=36780 |Area=491.91 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Mahnomen |N=27 |Num=087 |Seat=Mahnomen |Data1=1906 |Data2= [[Norman County, Minnesota|Norman County]] |Data3=From the [[Ojibwe language]] meaning "wild rice" |Population=5296 |Area=556.14 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Marshall |N=27 |Num=089 |Seat=Warren |Data1=1879 |Data2= [[Kittson County, Minnesota|Kittson County]]  |Data3=[[William Rainey Marshall]] <small>(1825–1896)</small>, fifth governor of Minnesota <small>(1866–1870)</small>  |Population=8771 |Area=1772.24 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Martin |N=27 |Num=091 |Seat=Fairmont |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]], [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=[[Morgan Lewis Martin]] (1805–1887), delegate to Congress from [[Wisconsin Territory]]  |Population=19561 |Area=709.34 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Meeker |N=27 |Num=093 |Seat=Litchfield |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Davis County, Minnesota|Davis County]] |Data3=[[Bradley B. Meeker]] <small>(1813–1873)</small>, Associate Justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court|Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court]] <small>(1849–1853)</small> |Population=23491 |Area=608.54 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Mille Lacs |N=27 |Num=095 |Seat=Milaca |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]] |Data3=[[Mille Lacs Lake]] |Population=27577 |Area=574.47 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Morrison |N=27 |Num=097 |Seat=Little Falls |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Benton County, Minnesota|Benton County]] |Data3=[[William Morrison (trader)|William]] & [[Allan Morrison (fur trader)|Allan Morrison]], fur trading brothers<ref>[http://www.morrisoncountyhistory.org/histwill.html MCHS – William Morrison – Fur Trader<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723183222/http://www.morrisoncountyhistory.org/histwill.html |date=July 23, 2008 }}</ref> |Population=34520 |Area=1124.50 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Mower |N=27 |Num=099 |Seat=Austin |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]] |Data3=[[John Edward Mower]] <small>(1815–1879)</small>, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s |Population=40900 |Area=711.50 |Size=100px}}

{{Countyrow|Name=Murray |N=27 |Num=101 |Seat=Slayton  |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=[[William Pitt Murray]] <small>(1825–1910)</small>, Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature <small>(1852–1855) and 1857</small> |Population=8044 |Area=704.43 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Nicollet |N=27 |Num=103 |Seat=St. Peter |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]]  |Data3=[[Joseph Nicollet|Joseph Nicolas Nicollet]] <small>(1786–1843)</small>, early explorer and  cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River |Population=34493 |Area=452.29 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Nobles |N=27 |Num=105 |Seat=Worthington |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=[[William H. Nobles]], member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856 |Population=21969 |Area=715.39 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Norman |N=27 |Num=107 |Seat=Ada |Data1=1881 |Data2= [[Polk County, Minnesota|Polk County]] |Data3=Early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers. |Population=6284 |Area=876.27 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Olmsted |N=27 |Num=109 |Seat=Rochester |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore County]], [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha County]], [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]]  |Data3=[[David Olmsted]], first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature <small>(1849–1850)</small> |Population=166424 |Area=653.01 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Otter Tail |N=27 |Num=111 |Seat=Fergus Falls |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]], [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]]   |Data3=[[Otter Tail Lake]] |Population=60884 |Area=1979.71 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Pennington |N=27 |Num=113 |Seat=Thief River Falls |Data1=1910 |Data2= [[Red Lake County, Minnesota|Red Lake County]] |Data3=Edmund Pennington <small>(1848-1926)</small>, executive of the [[Soo Line Railroad|Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad]] |Population=13652 |Area=616.54 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Pine |N=27 |Num=115 |Seat=Pine City |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Chisago County, Minnesota|Chisago County]], [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]]  |Data3=Giant forests of [[Eastern White Pine]] and [[Red Pine]] that flourish in the county|Population=30319 |Area=1411.04 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Pipestone |N=27 |Num=117 |Seat=Pipestone |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=Name of a sacred [[Sioux|Dakota]] quarry of red pipestone found in the county |Population=9100 |Area=465.89 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Polk |N=27 |Num=119 |Seat=Crookston |Data1=1858 |Data2= [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]] |Data3=[[James K. Polk]] <small>(1795–1849)</small>, eleventh president of the United States <small>(1845–1849)</small> |Population=30413 |Area=1970.37 |Size=100px}}

{{Countyrow|Name=Pope |N=27 |Num=121 |Seat=Glenwood |Data1=1862 |Data2= [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], Unorganized Territory  |Data3=[[John Pope (general)|John Pope]] <small>(1822–1892)</small>, United States Army general during the [[Dakota War of 1862]] |Population=11495 |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 [[St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory]] |Data3=[[Alexander Ramsey]] <small>(1815–1903)</small>, first governor of Minnesota Territory <small>(1849–1853)</small> |Population=542015 |Area=155.78 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Red Lake |N=27 |Num=125 |Seat=Red Lake Falls |Data1=1896 |Data2= [[Polk County, Minnesota|Polk County]] |Data3=[[Red Lake River]] |Population=3882 |Area=432.43 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Redwood |N=27 |Num=127 |Seat=Redwood Falls |Data1=1862 |Data2=  [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]]  |Data3=[[Redwood River]] |Population=15254 |Area=879.73 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Renville |N=27 |Num=129 |Seat=Olivia |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Nicollet County, Minnesota|Nicollet County]], [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], [[Sibley County, Minnesota|Sibley County]]   |Data3=[[Joseph Renville]] <small>(1779–1846)</small>, interpreter for early explorations of the [[Louisiana Purchase]] |Population=14453 |Area=982.92 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Rice |N=27 |Num=131 |Seat=Faribault |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]], [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha County]]   |Data3=[[Henry Mower Rice]] <small>(1816–1894)</small>, former United States Senator from Minnesota <small>(1858–1863)</small> |Population=69025 |Area=497.57 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Rock |N=27 |Num=133 |Seat=Luverne |Data1=1857 |Data2= [[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]] |Data3=Large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound" |Population=9525 |Area=482.61 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Roseau |N=27 |Num=135 |Seat=Roseau |Data1=1894 |Data2= [[Kittson County, Minnesota|Kittson County]], [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]]   |Data3=[[Roseau River (Manitoba)|Roseau River]] and Roseau Lake |Population=15265 |Area=1662.51 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Saint Louis |N=27 |Num=137 |Seat=Duluth |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]], Newton  |Data3=[[Saint Louis River (Lake Superior tributary)|Saint Louis River]] |Population=200794 |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= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]]  |Data3=[[Winfield Scott]] <small>(1786–1866)</small>, United States Army general who served from <small>(1808–1861)</small> |Population=157206 |Area=356.68 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Sherburne |N=27 |Num=141 |Seat=Elk River |Data1=1856 |Data2= [[Benton County, Minnesota|Benton County]] |Data3=[[Moses Sherburne]] <small>(1813–1873)</small>, Associate Justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court|Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court]] <small>(1853–1857)</small> |Population=103059 |Area=436.30 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Sibley |N=27 |Num=143 |Seat=Gaylord |Data1=1853 |Data2= [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]] |Data3=[[Henry Hastings Sibley]] <small>(1811–1891)</small>, first governor of Minnesota <small>(1858–1860)</small> |Population=15194 |Area=588.65 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Stearns |N=27 |Num=145 |Seat=St. Cloud |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Nicollet County, Minnesota|Nicollet County]], [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], [[Sibley County, Minnesota|Sibley County]]   |Data3=[[Charles Thomas Stearns]] <small>(1814–1888)</small>, early settler of [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|St. Cloud]] and member of the Minnesota territorial legislature <small>(1849–1858)</small> |Population=163997 |Area=1344.52 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Steele |N=27 |Num=147 |Seat=Owatonna |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]], [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]], [[Le Sueur County, Minnesota|Le Sueur County]]    |Data3=[[Franklin Steele]]  <small>(1813–1880)</small>, early settler of Minneapolis and developer of [[Saint Anthony Falls]] |Population=37434 |Area=429.55 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Stevens |N=27 |Num=149 |Seat=Morris |Data1=1862 |Data2= [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], Unorganized Territory     |Data3=[[Isaac Stevens|Isaac Ingalls Stevens]] <small>(1818–1862)</small>, first governor of [[Washington Territory]] <small>(1853–1857)</small> |Population=9819 |Area=562.06 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Swift |N=27 |Num=151 |Seat=Benson |Data1=1870 |Data2= [[Chippewa County, Minnesota|Chippewa County]] |Data3=[[Henry Adoniram Swift]] <small>(1823–1869)</small>, third governor of Minnesota <small>(1863–1864)</small> |Population=9666 |Area=743.53 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Todd |N=27 |Num=153 |Seat=Long Prairie |Data1=1855 |Data2= [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]] |Data3=[[John Blair Smith Todd]], commander of [[Fort Ripley (Minnesota fort)|Fort Ripley]] (1849–56); general in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]; delegate in Congress from [[Dakota Territory]] (1861 and 1863–65); [[List of Governors of Dakota Territory|governor of Dakota Territory]] (1869–71) |Population=25955 |Area=942.02 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Traverse |N=27 |Num=155 |Seat=Wheaton |Data1=1862 |Data2= [[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]], Unorganized Territory  |Data3=[[Lake Traverse]] |Population=3134 |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=21574 |Area=525.01 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Wadena |N=27 |Num=159 |Seat=Wadena |Data1=1858 |Data2=[[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Todd County, Minnesota|Todd County]] |Data3=Sources differ; named after either an [[Ojibwe]] chief, Chief Wadena,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hacking |first1=Sara |title=Native history |url=https://www.wadenapj.com/news/native-history |access-date=31 January 2025 |work=Wadena Pioneer Journal |date=July 11, 2007}}</ref> or from the [[Ojibwe language]] for "a little round hill"<ref>{{cite web |title=Wadena County Information and History |url=https://www.co.wadena.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/4078/Wadena-County-History#:~:text=The%20name%20%E2%80%9CWadena%E2%80%9D%20is%20an,personal%20name%20among%20the%20Ojibway. |website=Wadena County |access-date=31 January 2025}}</ref>|Population=14437 |Area=535.02 |Size=100px}}

{{Countyrow|Name=Waseca |N=27 |Num=161 |Seat=Waseca |Data1=1857 |Data2=[[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] |Data3=Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile" |Population=18684 |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 [[St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory]] |Data3=[[George Washington]] <small>(1732–1799)</small>, first president of the United States <small>(1789–1797)</small> |Population=283960 |Area=391.70 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Watonwan |N=27 |Num=165 |Seat=St. James |Data1=1860 |Data2=[[Brown County, Minnesota|Brown County]] |Data3=[[Watonwan River]],  a river that flows through Minnesota. |Population=11204 |Area=434.51 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Wilkin |N=27 |Num=167 |Seat=Breckenridge |Data1=1858 |Data2=[[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Pembina County, Minnesota|Pembina County]]  |Data3=[[Alexander Wilkin]] <small>(1820–1864)</small>, Minnesota politician and soldier killed in the Civil War  |Population=6268 |Area=751.43 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Winona |N=27 |Num=169 |Seat=Winona  |Data1=1854 |Data2=[[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore County]], [[Wabasha County, Minnesota|Wabasha County]] |Data3=Named after Wee-No-Nah, sister or cousin of Chief [[Wabasha III]] |Population=49973 |Area=626.30 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Wright |N=27 |Num=171 |Seat=Buffalo |Data1=1855 |Data2=[[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Sibley County, Minnesota|Sibley County]] |Data3=[[Silas Wright]] <small>(1795–1847)</small>, former United States Senator from New York <small>(1833–1844)</small> |Population=154593 |Area=660.75 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|Name=Yellow Medicine |N=27 |Num=173 |Seat=Granite Falls |Data1=1871 |Data2=[[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]] |Data3=[[Yellow Medicine River]] |Population=9373 |Area=757.96 |Size=100px}}
|}

==Historical counties==
[[File:Seal of Minnesota.svg|thumb|The new [[Seal of Minnesota]] contains 98 [[gold (color)|gold]] "boxes" around the edge, symbolizing the state's 87 counties and [[List_of_federally_recognized_tribes_by_state#Minnesota|11 recognized Native American tribes]].]]

=== Before statehood ===
*St. Clair County, Indiana Territory (1801–1812) (Transferred to Illinois in 1809)
*St. Charles County, Louisiana Territory (1809–1813) (Transferred to Missouri Territory in 1812)
*Madison County, Illinois Territory (1812–1818) Formed from St. Clair County
*Michilimackinac County, Michigan Territory (1818–1837)
*[[Crawford County, Wisconsin|Crawford County]], Michigan Territory (1818–1840) (Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1837)
*[[Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa County]], Michigan Territory (1827–1837)
*Dubuque County, Michigan Territory (1834–1837)
*Fayette County, Wisconsin Territory (1837–1849)
*[[St. Croix County, Wisconsin|St. Croix County]], Wisconsin Territory (1840–1849)
*[[La Pointe County, Wisconsin|La Pointe County]], Wisconsin Territory (1845–1849) Formed from St. Croix
*Mahkatah County (1849–1851) (Mahkahto) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass
*Wahnata County (1849–1851) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass
*[[Lake County, Minnesota|Superior County]] (February 20, 1855 to March 3, 1855) Name changed to Saint Louis, then to Lake
*[[Newton County, Minnesota|Newton County]] (1855–1856) Formed from Itasca County and Un-organized. Name Changed from [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Doty County]], then to Saint Louis County.
*[[Lake County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]] (1855-1856) Name changed from Superior, then to Lake. Saint Louis name given to former Newton County

=== After statehood ===
*[[Buchanan County, Minnesota|Buchanan County]] (1857–1861) Formed from Pine County, dissolved back to Pine
*[[Pierce County, Minnesota|Pierce County]] (1853–1862) Formed from Dakota County
*[[Davis County, Minnesota|Davis County]] (1855–1862) Formed from Cass, Nicollet, and Sibley Counties
*[[Wilkin County, Minnesota|Toombs County]] (1858–1862) Formed from Pembina, name changed to Andy Johnson
*[[Mille Lacs County, Minnesota|Monroe County]] (1858-1860) Merged with Mille Lacs
*[[Historic Lincoln County, Minnesota|Lincoln County]] (1861–1868) Formed from Renville County
*[[Manomin County, Minnesota|Manomin County]] (1857–1869) Formed from [[Ramsey County, Minnesota|Ramsey County]], Merged into [[Anoka County, Minnesota|Anoka County]].
*[[Monongalia County, Minnesota|Monongalia County]] (1861–1870) Formed from Ramsey, Pierce, and un-organized counties. Dissolved to Kandiyohi County.
*[[Aiken County, Minnesota|Aiken County]] (1857–1872) Formed from Pine and Ramsey counties, name changed to Aitkin
*[[Kittson County, Minnesota|Pembina County]] (1849–1878) (One of Original 9 counties) Name changed to Kittson
*[[Clay County, Minnesota|Breckenridge County]] (1858–1862) Formed from Pembina, name changed to Clay
*[[Wilkin County, Minnesota|Andy Johnson County]] (1862–1868) Formerly Toombs, name changed to Wilkin
*[[Midway County, Minnesota|Midway County]] (1857–1858) 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}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web |last1=writer |first1=Statf |author-link1= |collaboration= |df= |year=2022 |location= |title=MINNESOTA COUNTY GOVERNMENT OVERVIEW |url=https://ce.naco.org//app/profiles/CountyGov/CountyGov_27000.pdf |url-access= |format= |department= |website=ce.naco.org |type= |language= |edition= |agency=National Association of Counties (NACo) |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |doi-broken-date= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmc-embargo-date= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-format= |archive-date= |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote= |ref= }}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110727091635/http://content.mnhs.org/maps/items/show/141 Map of the Organized Counties of Minnesota, 1850]

{{U.S. Counties}}
{{Minnesota}}

[[Category:Lists of counties of the United States by state|Minnesota, counties in]]
[[Category:Minnesota geography-related lists|Counties]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties| ]]