County · code 27001
Aitkin CountyMinnesota
Aitkin County is located in Minnesota and has its seat in Aitkin. The county was formed on May 23, 1857, from Pine and Ramsey counties and named after William Alexander Aitken.
- Founded1857
- County seatAitkin
- Named forWilliam Alexander Aitken
- Land area1,822 sq mi + 174 sq mi water
- Population15,697 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped42,996 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Aitkin on the map of Minnesota
Minnesota has 87 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1857 from Pine County and Ramsey County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Originally created as Aiken County from Pine and Ramsey counties, it was renamed Aitkin in 1872. The county gained land from Itasca and Ramsey counties in 1862 and was organized for county government in 1871, becoming fully independent in 1885.
- 1857Aitkin County created Aiken (now Aitkin) created from Pine and Ramsey. · Minn. Terr. Laws 1857, ext. sess., ch. 5, secs. 5-6/pp. 52-54
- 1862Gained territory Aiken (now Aitkin) gained from Itasca, Ramsey, and Non-County Area 8; Non County Area 8 eliminated. · Minn. Laws 1862, spec., ch. 28, secs. 1-2, 5/pp. 265-267
- 1866Changed Aiken (now Aitkin) attached to Crow Wing "for judicial purposes." · Minn. Gen. Stat. 1866, ch. 64, title 4, sec. 33/p. 419
- 1871Gained territory Aiken (now Aitkin) organized for county government, gained from Cass and Itasca; Aiken detached from Morrison, attached to Crow Wing "for judicial purposes." (Aiken remained indirectly attached to Morrison, through Crow Wing, until 24 February 1871). · Minn. Laws 1871, gen., ch. 96, secs. 1-2, 4/pp. 161-162
- 1872Renamed Aiken renamed Aitkin.formerly Aiken· Minn. Laws 1872, spec., ch. 145, sec. 1/p. 511
Show all 13 changes
- 1857Aitkin County created Aiken (now Aitkin) created from Pine and Ramsey. · Minn. Terr. Laws 1857, ext. sess., ch. 5, secs. 5-6/pp. 52-54
- 1860
- 1861
- 1862Gained territory Aiken (now Aitkin) gained from Itasca, Ramsey, and Non-County Area 8; Non County Area 8 eliminated. · Minn. Laws 1862, spec., ch. 28, secs. 1-2, 5/pp. 265-267
- 1866Changed Aiken (now Aitkin) attached to Crow Wing "for judicial purposes." · Minn. Gen. Stat. 1866, ch. 64, title 4, sec. 33/p. 419
- 1867
- 1871Gained territory Aiken (now Aitkin) organized for county government, gained from Cass and Itasca; Aiken detached from Morrison, attached to Crow Wing "for judicial purposes." (Aiken remained indirectly attached to Morrison, through Crow Wing, until 24 February 1871). · Minn. Laws 1871, gen., ch. 96, secs. 1-2, 4/pp. 161-162
- 1872Renamed Aiken renamed Aitkin.formerly Aiken· Minn. Laws 1872, spec., ch. 145, sec. 1/p. 511
- 1885Changed Aitkin fully organized, detached from Crow Wing. · Minn. Laws 1885, gen., ch. 142, sec. 1/pp. 132-133
- 1887
- 1887Gained territory Aitkin gained small area from Cass. · Minn. Laws 1887, gen., ch. 117, sec. 1/p. 202
- 1891Changed Itasca fully organized detached from Aitkin. · Minn. Gen. Stat. 1894, ch. 8, title 1, sec. 568/p. 164; Minn. Laws 1891, gen., ch. 147, secs. 1, 5/pp. 284-285; Rottsolk, 10-19
- 1917Exchanged territory Aitkin exchanged with Crow Wing. · Minn. Laws 1917, ch. 135, secs. 1-2/p. 184
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Aitkin
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 42,996 parcels from Aitkin County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 17,531 in all from Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo), Minnesota Geospatial Commons.
checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Aitkin by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
County government
- County government
The official website of Aitkin County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Aitkin County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Aitkin County
- When was Aitkin County founded?
- Aitkin County was founded in 1857, formed from Pine County and Ramsey County, and named after William Alexander Aitken.
- What is the county seat of Aitkin County?
- The county seat of Aitkin County is Aitkin.
- Is there an online parcel map for Aitkin County?
- Yes. Aitkin County publishes a parcel map of 42,996 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Aitkin County's boundary or name changed?
- Aitkin County was created in 1857 from Pine County and Ramsey County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 12 later changes, chiefly involving Crow Wing County, Itasca County and Ramsey County. It was formerly called Aiken.
- Who issues building permits in Aitkin County?
- The county's page on building permits: Land Use Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Aitkin County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby