Birth Records

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Tennessee began keeping nativity records statewide in 1908. The larger cities in Tennessee did go along earlier nascence records: Nashville (offset in 1881); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (beginning in 1879); and Memphis (first in 1874). Simply the early Nashville nascence records are indexed.

Tennessee birth records 1869-1909 are bachelor online thru a partnership with Ancestry.com on at Beginnings.com's Tennessee Country Library and Archives web page.  Tennesseans: learn more than virtually how to access these records for free.

Nativity Certificates 1921 - present

Contact the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records

1908 - 1912 and 1914 to 1920

The Tennessee Country Library and Archives has statewide birth records for the years 1908-1912 and 1914-1920. To find a nascency tape, we need the following information: name of child, date of nascence or approximate date of birth, county of nascency (if known) and names of parents (if known).

Delayed Nativity Certificates 1869 - 1920

These delayed certificates were filed at the asking of the individual or that person's representative for legal reasons. To locate a delayed nascence certificate, nosotros need the post-obit information: name of child, date of nascency or approximate appointment of birth, canton of birth (if known) and names of parents (if known). Visit the Ask Us a Question! web page to contact the Library and Archives and we can check our alphabetize to the "delayed" nascence records for a specified name. Please specify that you are requesting a "delayed" birth certificate. The Library and Archives volition respond to due east-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you demand immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

Memphis Nascence Records

The Library and Archives has copies of the city nascence records for Memphis for 1874-1883; early Memphis birth records for 1884-1917 are held past the Shelby County Archives .

An online index to Shelby County birth records for the years 1874-1916 is available on the web site of the Shelby County Annals of Deeds .

Nashville Nascency Records

The Metro Archives of Nashville and Davidson Canton has posted an online index to Nashville city birth records for 1881 - 1913 .

Expiry Records

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The land of Tennessee did not crave the keeping of expiry records until 1908. This law expired at the end of 1912. In 1913, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a new constabulary that called for the keeping of more detailed death certificates. This law went into consequence in 1914.

When the first law expired at the end of 1912, however, no individuals or agencies were charged with the responsibility of keeping death records. For this reason, 1913 is frequently referred to as a "dead year" for death certificates in Tennessee.

The larger cities in Tennessee did keep before decease records: Nashville (beginning in 1874); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (kickoff in 1872); and Memphis (beginning in 1848). But the early on Nashville and Memphis death records are indexed. The Library and Archives can search the unindexed records for 1 year simply; you must provide united states with the name of private, date of death, the metropolis, and the proper noun of the spouse (if known).

Tennessee death records 1908-1965 are available online thru a partnership with Beginnings.com on at Beginnings.com's Tennessee State Library and Athenaeum web page.  Tennesseans: learn more about how to access these records for free.

Death Records 1971 - present

Contact the Tennessee Department of Wellness, Function of Vital Records

Decease Records 1908-1912 and 1914-1970

To notice a decease record, we demand the following information: name of individual, date of death (or three twelvemonth range to search), canton of expiry (if known) and name of spouse (if known). Please keep in listen that some deaths were not recorded, due to poor record-keeping by local officials. TSLA has searchable indexes for these records that includes the name of the deceased, county, twelvemonth of expiry and certificate number.  The post-obit indexes can be used to order a copy of the death certificate from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. A sample death certificate is available for viewing on our web site.

  • Index to Tennessee Expiry Records 1908 - 1912 -  This alphabetize covers nigh 98,000 deaths occurring in Tennessee and recorded between 1908 and 1912. Although deaths were non registered as advisedly and regularly as they were beginning in 1914, the index includes all extant records. If no year of death was given on the certificate, it is noted in this alphabetize every bit "1908-12". Children with no given name are listed under "infant".

    Death records in this time menstruation do not give parents' names. They do include the individual's historic period, occupation, place of birth and crusade of decease. Names accept been transcribed as institute on the original record, and may include spelling errors. At that place may also have been typographical errors fabricated in preparing this index. If you lot encounter an fault of this blazon, please notify us by electronic mail.

  • Alphabetize to Tennessee Decease Records (1914-1933) - This alphabetize lists name of deceased, county of death, and volume and page number of the document; starting time with death certificates issued in 1926, the certificate number is listed instead of the book and page. (The index replaced the Partial Alphabetize to Tennessee Death Records 1914-1925, which covered only 38 counties in Tennessee and did not include children under two years of age.)

When using this index, please keep the post-obit in mind:

  1. Check for alternate spellings of the surname.  Handwriting is not always legible and could exist misread.  Spelling variations are common.  A surname such asHale might be spelledUnhurt, HayleorHail;  a surname such asDickson might be spelledDickson,Dixon,  orDixson.
  2. Bank check for alternate spellings of the showtime name.  The nameWilliam A. Smith may exist listed every bit Smith , William  orSmith, Will  orSmith, Wm.  or  Smith, Beak  orSmith, Westward.  orSmith, W.A.   The first name may accept an abridgement that is not in electric current usage, such asJas. for the name James.
  3. Some records did not include the given name of the deceased.  These records are listed at the starting time of each surname, such every bitWilliams, (blank) orRex, (unknown) .
  4. Many decease records for young children did not listing a first proper noun for the child.  These listings appear in the index equallySmith, Infant of  or Jones, Infant of John.There are also listings for older children, such asWhite, Son of John  orCase, Child of Henry.
  5. Expiry certificates for some married women are listed under the name of the husband, such asAdams , James (Mrs) .
  6. Titles relating to occupation will be listed after the first proper noun of the individual:Johnson, Martin (Rev.)  orHibbert, John (Dr.) orBlake, Charles (Maj.).
  7. If the individual died out of state, there will not be a death certificate issued in Tennessee, even if the body was returned here for burying.
  8. Death certificates during this time period were filled out by funeral directors.  If the deceased was cached in a family unit cemetery and no funeral home was involved, there will not be a death certificate on file in Tennessee.
  9. There are some expiry records for individuals who could non be identified  ("unknown white male, in late 40s").  These arenot included in this index.

Davidson County Death Records 1900 - 1913

A searchable index to the Davidson County Death Records 1900 - 1913 is bachelor on the Genealogy Index Search Site. Davidson County (every bit distinct from Nashville) began keeping their own death records in 1900 and connected to do so through 1913. The death records in this index include the following information: last proper noun, first name, race, date of expiry, age, place of burial, and the book & record number.

Please note that many of the recorded names in this alphabetize do not appear in the Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912.

Shelby Canton Death Records

An online index to Shelby County death records for the years 1848-1966 and a state-wide index to Tennessee death records for the years 1949-2014 is available on the web site of the Shelby Canton Annals of Deeds .

Union Records

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Tennessee counties were not required to record marriages in bound record books until 1838. While non required to do so, many counties in Tennessee did tape their early marriages. The early marriages were recorded in ledgers by the County Court Clerk. The clerk normally recorded only the names of the bride and groom, the minister or justice of the peace and (sometimes) the bondservant.

PLEASE Annotation : Union records in Tennessee accept inverse during its statehood. In many cases, the marriage license itself was given to the helpmate and groom. The official marriage record on file in the country volition be an entry made into a marriage ledger book past the County Court Clerk. Generally, the clerk recorded only the names of the bride & groom, the government minister or justice of the peace, and (sometimes) the bondsman. A limited number of counties began issuing duplicate matrimony licenses in the 1880s. The data on union records can vary canton by canton. Some counties began listing the names of the parents of the bride & groom in the 1880s; some counties did not include this information until the mid 1920s. When you asking a search for a marriage record from the Library and Archives, we will check to see if in that location is a marriage license on file. If there is no license on file, then we will send the entry from the county's marriage ledger book.

Tennessee Spousal relationship Records 1970 - Present

For matrimony records from 1970 to the nowadays, contact the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records.

Tennessee Marriage Records July 1, 1945 - December 31, 1969

For the dates July 1, 1945 - December 31, 1969, there is a year-by-year statewide microfilm index to Tennessee wedlock records. The alphabetize is arranged by the name of the groom; the bride is listed only by her first name and the outset letter of the alphabet of her maiden name.   A request for a marriage record search for the years dates July one, 1945 - Dec 31, 1969 must include the proper name of the groom. The Library and Archives will, for a fee, search a five twelvemonth range in this index. The search request requires the proper noun of the groom and the date of the marriage (or nosotros will search the v year range 1945-1965); the name of the helpmate & the canton of union are not required, only should be included if known.

Tennessee Matrimony Records 1861 - June 30, 1945

Marriages 1861 - June 30, 1945 tin can exist found in the records of each canton. At that place is no land-wide index to marriages during this time period. We can search the microfilmed county records for a marriage record if given the names of the groom and bride, county of marriage, and the date of the matrimony or a 5-year date span. If the union occurred in one of the four metropolitan counties (Davidson County, Hamilton County, Knox County and Shelby County), then a 3-year engagement bridge must be specified. Please Note that the Tennessee State Library and Archives does NOT have Davidson County marriage records for May 1941 - June 1945. These records are available through the Metropolitan Archives of Nashville and Davidson County.

Tennessee Union Records 1780-1861

A list of extant (in existence) marriage records in Tennessee for the years 1780-1861 has been published. You lot may visit the Inquire Usa a Question! spider web page to contact the Library and Archives with the name of the helpmate or groom, the approximate year of the marriage and (if known) the county where the marriage took place. Delight send but one email search request at a time for a single matrimony record search. We volition check the alphabetize and send a respond by e-mail at no accuse notifying you lot if a listing for the matrimony record is found. The Library and Archives will respond to electronic mail requests promptly; response fourth dimension may vary, depending on the amount of enquiry required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If yous need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit usa in person.

Divorce Records

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Tennessee Divorce Records 1971 - Present

For divorce records from 1971 to the present, contact the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records.

Tennessee Divorce Records July 1, 1945 - December 31, 1970

The Tennessee State Library and Archives has a state-broad divorce index which covers the dates July one, 1945 - Dec 31, 1970.  If the divorce took identify during this time menstruum, the Library and Archives will search a five yr range country-wide for a divorce. You must  to provide us with the proper name of the husband & wife, the appointment of the divorce or a five year range to search, and (if known) the county where the divorce was granted.

Tennessee Divorce Records prior to July i, 1945

If the divorce took place prior to July 1, 1945, then the Library and Archives will search a five yr range in ONE specified county for a divorce. You must  to provide us with the proper noun of the husband & wife, the date of the divorce or a five twelvemonth range to search, and specify One county where the divorce was granted.

Divorce Records in Court Minutes

Court minutes are some other location to search for records concerning the granting of a divorce.  You must provide the name of the husband & wife, the year of the divorce (or a five twelvemonth range to search), specify ane county, and specify ane court to be searched.  If the divorce took identify afterward 1834, and involved a dispute over the sectionalization of property, and then information technology would take been heard in the Chancery Courtroom;   if the divorce did not involve a dispute over the division of belongings, and then information technology would accept been heard in the Circuit Court.

Tennessee Divorce Requests with the TN General Assembly - 1796 - 1850

In the early on days of Tennessee, divorce requests had to exist canonical by the Tennessee General Assembly.  The Search the Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850 to check if at that place is a listing for a detail private.  The Library and Archives tin can, for a fee, copy upwards to three chapters from the published Acts of Tennessee.  If an act is located, nosotros can also cheque to see if a legislative petition is on file for the divorce.