Tennessee County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
Indexes and images of marriage registers, licenses, bonds, and certificates acquired from local courthouses. Additional records will be added as they are completed. This publication includes the following counties: Anderson, Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, Dekalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Gibson, Giles, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury McMinn, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Weakley, White, Williamson, and Wilson.

These records cover the years 1790 to 1950.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Marriage bonds
 * Name of the groom
 * Name of the bride
 * Names of the officiator and witnesses
 * Date of the marriage
 * Date of bond

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name and age of the groom
 * Name and age of the bride
 * Sometimes, name of person giving consent
 * Name of the officiator
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residences of the bride and groom

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of marriage
 * The place where the marriage occurred
 * The name of the intended spouse

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 marriage record, carefully evaluate each piece of information about them. 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, Now What?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age in the marriage records to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married or died nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching the vital records in the state

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the year and place, different records may be more useful
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well
 * Search the indexes and records at a nearby family history center

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
 * Tennessee Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Tennessee, marriage index, 1969

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Tennessee, Putnam County Marriages, 1930-1961
 * Tennessee Civil Marriages, 1838-1888
 * Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950
 * Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * prepared by the Tennessee Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration. Guide to public vital statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee : Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.