How to Find Tennessee Birth Records

How to Find United States Birth Records Tennessee Births

Statewide registration of births began in 1914 in Tennessee with general compliance by 1927.

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Next Step: When did the birth occur?

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 * Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's birth record:


 * Births before 1874
 * Births from 1874 thru 1908
 * Births from 1908 thru 1913
 * Births after 1913
 * I don't know when the birth is


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Births before 1874
Before 1874, no births were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births from 1874 thru 1908
In 1874, some Tennessee counties and cities began recording births, but coverage is incomplete. Delayed birth records exist as early as 1869. If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during the time period, try the following databases.

Obtain the Record
With approximate birth years and places, you can locate birth records from 1874-1908 on microfilm available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives (includes links to various online collections) and the Family History Library (search the Catalog under TENNESSEE [COUNTY] VITAL RECORDS).

Delayed birth records after 1910 are available for a fee at the Office of Vital Records (PDF file).

There are no restrictions on pre-1910 records. Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births from 1908 thru 1913
Most counties kept birth records beginning in 1908. Few of these records are available online. Chattanooga $, Davidson County, Knoxville $, Memphis, and Nashville birth records are indexed online.

Obtain the Record
With a name, you can locate birth records from 1908-1912 on microfilm available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives (includes links to various online collections) and the Family History Library.

Births after 1913
Currently, there are no online indexes to Virginia births after 1912.

Obtain the Certificate
With full names, dates and places (cities or counties) of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from the the Virginia Division of Vital Records (PDF file).

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years, you must be:


 * The person on the certificate
 * The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate
 * The spouse of the person on the certificate
 * The child of the person on the certificate
 * The sibling of the person on the certificate
 * The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
 * Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
 * NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

'''If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search. ''' Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

 * Learn more about U.S. Birth Records
 * United States Record Selection Table
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
 * United States Vital Records
 * Locating United States Vital Records
 * United States Death Records
 * United States Marriage Records