Tennessee Vital Records

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Civil governments have created records of births, marriages, and deaths. Records containing this information are commonly called “vital records,” because they refer to critical events in a person’s life. These are the most important documents for genealogical research, but the births, marriages, and deaths of many people have never been recorded by civil authorities.

Birth and Death Records, Prior to 1908
Few births and deaths were recorded by civil authorities before 1908. You may find some information on pre-1908 births and deaths in genealogies, histories, church and Bible records, and collections of personal papers.

Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1908–1912
Most counties kept birth and death records beginning in 1908. During the month of July, the clerk of the Board of School Directors was required to collect and report the births and deaths that had occurred in his district during the previous year. Their reports were sent to the Secretary of the County Board of Health (County Clerk) and from there to the State Board of Health. Death records for 1908–1912 do not list the names of parents. This incomplete register is at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Tennessee State Board of Health. Births (Enumerator Record Series), 1908–1912. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1980. (Family History Library films 1308011–89, indexes on films 338134–39.) The soundex index lists the child’s name, birth date and county, certificate number, and name of mother.

Tennessee State Board of Health. Deaths (Enumerator Record Series), 1908–1912. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1980. (Family History Library films 1308090–122, indexes on films 338140–41.) The records are arranged by enumerator record number. An index to these early death records on the Library State Library and Archives web site lists 98,000 deaths.

Birth and Death Records, 1914–present
Beginning 1 January 1914, statewide registration of vital statistics began but was not generally complied with until 1927. An online statewide death index for 1914-1924 is found on the Tennessee State Library and Archives website. In addition, this site also has a partial index to death records 1914-1925. The archive website gives good suggestions on how to successfully use their index.

The Family History Library has death indexes for 1914–1948:

Tennessee. State Board of Health. Deaths, 1914–1948; Death Index, 1914–1948. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1981, 1993. (On 418 Family History Library films beginning with 1299605.) The index lists the name, date of death, county, county, and page number.

Tennessee birth records are closed for 75 years and death records for 50 years. To obtain copies of birth records from 1914 to the present, and death records that are 50 years old or less, write to:

Tennessee Vital Records Central Services Building 1st Floor 421 5th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37247-0460 Telephone: 615-741-1763 Credit Card Request: 615-741-0778 Fax: 615-741-9860 Internet: http://health.state.tn.us/vr/index.htm

Application forms (and instructions) for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates can be acquired from the Tennessee Vital Records web page.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is the primary source for obtaining death records 50 years old or older. They have birth records for 1908–1912 and death indexes for 1908–1912 and 1914–1948. Indexes to selected death records are on their Internet site listed in the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline.

Birth and Death Records Kept by Cities Before 1908
Before 1914, several major cities kept separate records of births and deaths. The most complete collection of pre-1914 city births is in the Tennessee State Library and Archives. They have records for Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville, which are also available at the Family History Library:

The Shelby County Register of Deeds has records for Memphis deaths from 1848–1945. Their Internet site has an index and image view: http://register.shelby.tn.us/''

Marriage Records
County marriage records are the earliest and most complete vital records for Tennessee. The records that have survived usually begin within a few years of each county’s organization. Marriage records from the earliest dates to the present are kept by the county clerk for each county. Since 1 January 1949, duplicates have been sent to the Office of Vital Statistics. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of most of the existing county marriage records from the beginning dates to the early 1900's. Many early Tennessee marriages are extracted and found in the International Genealogical Index.  This index is accessed at www.familysearch.org

Reels of microfilm containing marriage records can be borrowed on interlibrary loan from the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

You can find early Tennessee published marriage records through:

Sistler, Byron. Early East Tennessee Marriages. Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Assoc., 1987. (Family History Library book 976.8 V2s; film 1597922 items 3–4.) This source indexes pre-1861 marriages from 20 counties, listing the bride and groom and the date and county of the marriage. There is a separate index for brides and grooms.

Sistler, Byron. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1988. (Family History Library book 976.8 V2sby; film 1597922, items 5–6.) This source indexes pre-1861 marriages from 27 counties, listing the bride and groom and the date and county of the marriage. There is a separate index for brides and grooms.

Sistler, Byron. Early West Tennessee Marriages. Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1989. (Family History Library book 976.8 V2sb; fiche 6100916 to 17 [set of 10.)] This source indexes pre-1861 marriages from 15 counties, listing the bride and groom and the date and county of the marriage. There is a separate index for brides and grooms.

Marriage Records. Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, 1994. (Family History Library compact disc number 9 part 2.) Does not circulate to Family History Centers. Contains marriage records for several Tennessee counties from the late 1700's to 1926, as well as marriage records from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Dates vary with the county.

Marriage Records: Early–1850. Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, 1992. (Family History Library compact disc number 9 part 229.) Does not circulate to Family History Centers. Contains marriage records for Tennessee, as well as marriage records from Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Beginning in 1945, Tennessee required statewide registration of marriages. These records have been indexed and are at the Office of Vital Statistics. The Family History Library does not have copies of these records.

Guide to Vital Records
The Tennessee Library and Archives Internet site listed in the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline identifies many of the state’s vital records. See the “Vital Records” section of the United States Research Outline for more detailed information on the value and content of vital records. For divorce records, see the “Divorce Records” section of this outline.

To find vital records, consult the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:


 * TENNESSEE - VITAL RECORDS
 * TENNESSEE, [COUNTY] - VITAL RECORDS
 * TENNESSEE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS