Tennessee Vital Records: Difference between revisions

{{Adoption TNGenWeb}} [[United States Vital Records|Vital Records]] consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]] recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. [[Locating United States Vital Records|United States Vital Records]] has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/Tennessee.htm Tennessee Vital Records State Department of Health] or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&countryId=57 Tennessee Statewide Indexes and Collections] at the Family History Library.  

| valign="middle" | <center>'''&nbsp; [[Image:Vital Records Collage.JPG|center|350px|Vital Records Collage.JPG]]&nbsp;&nbsp; '''<br></center>  

The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Tennessee Vital Records which consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]].&nbsp; Most online resources for Tennessee Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index, always consult the original record to [[Contradictions and discrepancies|confirm the informatio...]] in the index. '''<br>'''  

*'''1869-1909''' - [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2282 Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry.com] ($)

*'''1780-2002'''' -  [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1169 Tennessee Marriages 1780-2002] at Ancestry - Various marriage records with images. May include bonds, licenses, returns and registers. Not all years for all counties. Use variant spellings or wildcard search for surnames. Ancestry($)

*'''1874-1955''' -  {{RecordSearch|1681020|Tennessee Deaths and Burials, 1874-1955}} at FamilySearch - [[Tennessee Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; Index only, includes some early city death records. These records are part of the [[Tennessee Vital Records Index - FamilySearch Historical Records|Tennessee Vital Records Index]]&nbsp;and a separate index from RecordSearch's Tennessee Deaths 1914-1955 listed above. -Free

*'''1914-1931''' -  [http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/vital/tndeath.htm Index to Tennessee Death Records 1914-1931]- Free

No births were recorded by government agencies prior to 1874.&nbsp; See '''[[Tennessee Vital Records#Substitute_Records|Substitute Records]]''' below.  

Four cities recorded births and as indicated in the chart below.&nbsp; These records are available from the [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/vital/vital.htm Tennessee State Library and Archives].&nbsp;&nbsp;Most of these records are also available at Family History Library.  

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2491 Tennessee, City Birth Records, 1881-1915] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

Tennessee State Board of Health. ''Births (Enumerator Record Series), 1908–1912.'' <ref>Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1980. {{FHL|121072|item|disp=FHL film 338134}}</ref>&nbsp; The&nbsp;index is in &nbsp;[[Soundex|soundex]].&nbsp; The record usually lists the child’s name, birth date and county, certificate number, and name of mother.<br>  

'''1913'''&nbsp;&nbsp; During 1913, the state legislature failed to pass a statute requiring the gathering of birth and death information. However, Davidson County and Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville cities all collected birth and death infomation during 1913.&nbsp;

Beginning 1 January 1914, statewide registration of vital statistics began but was not generally complied with until 1927.&nbsp;Tennessee birth records are closed for 75 years. Births more than 100 years old are maintained by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.&nbsp;

Three types of birth records are available from the [http://health.state.tn.us/vr/downloads.htm Tennessee Department of Health].&nbsp; All births 1914 to present can be ordered in long form.&nbsp; Births after 1949-present can also be orderd in short form. The short form is a computer-generated copy of the birth certificate. Both types of certificates are certified.&nbsp; Certifed records are available only to the person named on the record and to certain family members.  

In 1935, Tennessee began issuing delayed birth certificates.&nbsp; An applicant for a delayed birth certificate was required to supply documents and letters supporting their claim to a delayed birth certificate.&nbsp; The [http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/mailstat.htm#Births Tennesse State Library and Archives] will search delayed births for the years 1869-1909. Delayed birth requests are accepted by mail only. &nbsp; Also online at:  

*'''1869-1909''' - [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2282 Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry.com] ($)

County marriage records are the earliest and most complete vital records for Tennessee. The records&nbsp;which have survived usually begin within a few years of each county’s organization. Marriage records from the earliest dates to the present are kept by the county clerk for each county. Since 1 January 1949, duplicates have been sent to the [http://health.state.tn.us/vr/ Office of Vital Statistics].  

Beginning in 1945, Tennessee required registration of marriages with the state. These records have been indexed and are at the [http://health.state.tn.us/vr/ Office of Vital Statistics]. The Family History Library does not have copies of these records. Reels of microfilm containing marriage records can be borrowed on inter-library loan from the [http://state.tn.us/tsla/history/county/ill-list.htm Tennessee State Library and Archives].&nbsp; Counties continue to keep their own records of marriages.&nbsp; Many of these later marriages are available on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives or the county courthouse. See individual Tennessee counties in the wiki for the availability of county marriage records.  

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1169 Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2099 Tennessee Marriages to 1825] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4125 Tennessee, Marriages, 1851-1900] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48295 Tennessee Records: Bible Records and Marriage Bonds] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3186 Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

No&nbsp;deaths were recorded by government agencies before 1872.&nbsp; See '''[[Tennessee Vital Records#Substitute_Records|Substitute Records]]''' below.  

Four cities collected death information and&nbsp;maintained these records on the city level.These records are available at the [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/mailstat.htm#Deaths Tennessee State Library and Archives]. The Family History Library collection also includes these records.  

Tennessee State Board of Health. Deaths (Enumerator Record Series), 1908–1912 {{FHL|121490|item|disp=FHL film 338140}}.These records are arranged by enumerator record number. An index to these early death records is found at the [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/vital/death2.htm Tennessee State Library and Archives ] listing 98,000 deaths or at {{RecordSearch|1681020|Tennessee Deaths and Burials, 1874-1955}}. An index to the deaths is also found in the filmed record collection. Copies of certificates can be orderd from the [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/mailstat.htm#Deaths State Library and Archives] or accessed in the Family History Library collection.  

Tennessee began registration of deaths after 1914. Originally, deaths were reported by the local undertaker. If a family buried their dead without the use of an undertaker, often the death was not recorded in state records. Some deaths were unreported as late as 1936. Also check vital records on the county level. Occasionally deaths recorded at the county level were not returned to the state. Certificates more than 50 years old are housed at the [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/mailstat.htm#Deaths Tennessee State Library and Archives].  

The Family History Library&nbsp;collection includes&nbsp;death certificates 1914-1950 {{FHL|126512|item|disp=FHL film 1299605 (first of 527 films}} and 1951-1958 {{FHL|1282029|item|disp=FHL film 2372443 (first of 229 films)}}. If you cannot access the free online indexes described in the following paragraph, you may use the yearly indexes included in this film collection. Some years are indexed by [[Soundex|soundex]].Convert the surname to its soundex equivalent; search the index first by surname, then by given name. Note the certificate number. Then, locate the appropriate film for the death year and certificate number.  

Indexed images for Tennessee Death Certificates are available online at no cost at {{RecordSearch|1417505|Tennessee Deaths 1914-1955}}. Another copy of these records is available for free to Tennessee residents at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2376 Tennessee, Death Records, 1908–1951] at Ancestry ($). The Tennesse State Library and Archives has a free online [http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/vital/tndeath.htm statewide index to deaths 1914-1933]. The Shelby County Clerk website has an online statewide [http://register.shelby.tn.us/ death index 1949-2014]. This index includes certificate numbers. Note the certificate number on this index, then locate the appropriate FHL or TSLA (pre-1961)film for the death year and certificate number. If the record you find is after 1960, you will need to contact the [http://health.state.tn.us/vr/index.htm Tennesse Department of Health] for copies.  

*'''1872-1923''' - [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5076 Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

*'''1908-1958''' - [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2376 Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

Prior to 1834, divorces are found in legislative papers. The [http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/misc/actsintro.htm Index to Names in Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850] provided by the Tennessee State Library and Archives will search for any person found in the legislative papers. The state constitution of 1834 then gave&nbsp;inidividual county circuit and chancery courts the power to grant divorces.&nbsp; Circuit courts handled divorce proceedings which did not involve a dispute over the division of property.&nbsp; Divorces that did involve property disuputes were handled by the Chancery court. The Tennessee State&nbsp;Library and Archives&nbsp;suggests that you read their&nbsp;document [http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/county/court.htm Courts Where&nbsp;Tennessee Court Cases Were Tried ]to&nbsp;aid&nbsp;in&nbsp;determining which court records are most likely to hold the records you desire.&nbsp;&nbsp;

*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1237 Tennessee Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965] at Ancestry.com (Free<ref>May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, [https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator click her....</ref>/$)

The Tennessee State Library and Archives has a state-wide divorce index for July 1, 1945 - December 31, 1959.&nbsp;See their website for instructions to order&nbsp;[http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/mailcnty.htm#Divorce_Records divorce records prior to 1960]. &nbsp;

Divorce records for the past fifty years are available to order online at the [http://health.state.tn.us/vr/index.htm Tennessee Office of Vital Records]&nbsp;or by [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/tennessee.htm mail]. For divorces prior to 1994, the husband's name is required to search the records.&nbsp; After 1994, a seach can be done using either the wife's maiden name, or the husband's name.  

To find divorce&nbsp;records in the Family History Library collection,&nbsp;perform a&nbsp;Place Search of the Family History Library [https://familysearch.org/catalog-search Catalo... under the following topics:  

*Information listed on vital records is given by an informant.&nbsp; Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record.&nbsp; The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant&nbsp;was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information&nbsp;found on the record.  

*If you are unable to locate&nbsp;vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial.&nbsp; A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.  

*Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a '''[[FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search|Place Search]]''' and then choosing '''Vital Records'''.&nbsp; Search for '''Tennessee''' to locate records filed by the State. Search the '''name of the county''' to locate records kept by the county.

=== Lost and&nbsp;Missing Records  ===

*Search for Tennessee Collections on [https://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch Record Search] under [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=UNITED_STATES US... - Free]  

*The Vital Records Search and Information Directory for [http://www.daddezio.com/records/room/RR-TN-NDX.html Tennesse... - Free/$]

*German Roots Links for Tennessee [http://www.germanroots.com/vitalrecords.html#Tennessee Birth &amp; Marriag...&nbsp;]and [http://www.germanroots.com/deathrecords.html Death] Records -&nbsp;Free/$ Includes all records, not just those for ethnic Germans  

'''Tennessee''' or '''TN''' -&nbsp;Free/$  

*Search the [http://www.ancestry.com/ Tennessee Birth, Marriage &amp; Death] Records at Ancestry.com - $&nbsp;

== <br>Family History Library Vital Records Collections  ==

These records are availble online for free at [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=NORTH_AMERICA FamilySearch Historical Records Collection....]

[[Category:Tennessee_Vital_Records]]