Tennessee, Shelby County, Memphis, Board of Health Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of death records from the Tennessee Board of Health for the city of Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee for years 1848-1913. Some records may be light or faded and may be hard to read. Death certificates are titled "Burial Permit." Microfilm of the original records is held at the Tennessee State Library & Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.

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


 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Sex
 * Age
 * Color


 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Length of residence in city
 * Birthplace


 * Parent's Names and birth places
 * Place of Death
 * Cause of death
 * Physician
 * Place and date of burial

Collection Content

 * Deaths Indexes, A-Z, 1848-1901
 * Death Records, nos. 1-31,063, 1902-1913
 * Record of permits issued for disinterring, shipping and receiving dead bodies, 1883-1894
 * Index bodies shipped from Memphis, 1894-1902
 * Bodies shipped into Memphis, 1894-1903
 * Bodies shipped to Memphis, 1929-1944
 * Disinterments, 1934-1944
 * Bodies shipped into Memphis, 1974-1977
 * Register of deaths in the city of Memphis, no. 1 - 33265
 * Record of deaths in Shelby County, Tenn., 1881-1882
 * Index for deaths, 1889-1892
 * Register of deaths, no. 33266-53765, 1884-1897
 * Register of deaths in the city of Memphis, 1898-1901

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The place where your ancestor died
 * The names of 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 or burial 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, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information found on the death record to search for an obituary
 * Use the information found on the death record to search for the family in church records
 * Use the information found on the death record to search for the family in additional state and county records

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
 * Consult the Tennessee Record Finder to find other records

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
 * How to Find Tennessee Death Records

Family History Library Holdings

 * J. M. Keating. History of the city of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent citizens. 2 volumes. Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co., 1888; Memphis, Tennessee : Burke's Book Store, 1982? FHL 976.819/M1 H2k
 * Bernice Taylor Cargill and Brenda Bethea Connelly editors. Settlers of Shelby County, Tennessee and adjoining counties. Memphis, Tennessee : Descendants of Early Settlers of Shelby County, Tennessee, 1989 FHL 976.819 H2c
 * Memphis, List of deaths, 1848-1859
 * Shelby County, Death records and index, 1848-1977
 * Shelby County, Will books, 1830-1862
 * Shelby County, Probate records, 1832-1939
 * Shelby County, Probate records, 1820-1900
 * Shelby County, Probate Court minutes, 1824-1829, 1867-1898
 * Shelby County, Marriage licenses and bonds, 1820-1946

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966
 * Tennessee Deaths and Burials, 1874-1955
 * Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927
 * Tennessee Probate Court Files, 1795-1955

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.