Tennessee State Marriage Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to marriages from 1780 to 2002, from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. The index is provided by Ancestry.com.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Marriage date and place
 * Name of spouse (May only list surname)

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 in the marriage index, 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?

 * Use the marriage record along with the place of birth to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records
 * The father’s occupation can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records
 * The parents' names may help you identify former residences and can help to establish a migration pattern for the family

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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research 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

 * Byron and Barbara Sistler, Early East Tennessee marriages 2 volumes. Nashville, Tennessee : Byron Sistler & Assoc., c1987 FS Library 976.8 V2s
 * Byron and Barbara Sistler, Early Middle Tennessee marriages 2 volumes. Nashville, Tennessee : Byron Sistler and Assoc., c1988 FS Library 976.8 V2sby
 * Byron and Barbara Sistler, Early West Tennessee marriages 2 volumes. Nashville, Tennessee : B. Sistler & Associates, 1989 FS Library 976.8 V2sb

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * 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.