Tennessee County and City Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in the Collection?
This collection contains death records that were created between 1881 and 1955.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 4

Sample Images
Most counties in Tennessee kept birth and death records beginning in 1908. These records were kept by the county clerks in each county and then sent to the State Board of Health. However, many deaths were not registered. There are no statewide birth or death records for 1913 because the law requiring registration expired in that year. On January 1, 1914, a new law requiring deaths to be registered was passed.

Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis kept birth and death records prior to 1908. Some counties kept records as early as 1881. State registration requirements were not comprehensively complied with until about 1927

How Do I Search the Collection?
To search the collection it is helpful to know the following:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The residence of your ancestor
 * The names of other family members and their relationships

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s death record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the death date or age along with the place of death to find or verify their birth records and parents' names
 * Use the death date or age along with the place of death to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment records or military records
 * The name of the informant may be a relative. This can be helpful in identifying your ancestor
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have died or been buried in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Tennessee.
 * Tennessee Guided Research
 * Tennessee Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information.