Administrative Hearings | Business Services | Charitable Fundraising | Elections | Library & Archives | Publications
Order Materials >State Records

Selected materials at TSLA are now available for delivery by e-mail.






 

 

Tennessee began keeping birth records statewide in 1908. TSLA has statewide birth records for the years 1908-1912 and 1914. To find a birth record, we need the following information: name of child, date of birth or approximate date of birth, county of birth (if known) and names of parents (if known).

The larger cities in Tennessee did keep earlier birth records: Nashville (beginning in 1881); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (beginning in 1879); and Memphis (beginning in 1874). Only the early Nashville birth records are indexed.

  TSLA can search the unindexed records for one year only; you must provide us with the name of child, date of birth, the city, and name of parents (if known).  TSLA has copies of the city birth records for Memphis for 1874-1883; early Memphis birth records for 1884-1907 are held by the Shelby County Archives.

The Metro Archives of Nashville and Davidson County has posted an online index to Nashville city birth records for 1881 - 1913 and an online index to Davidson County birth records for 1908-1912.

An online index to Shelby County birth records for the years 1874-1906 is available on the web site of the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

PLEASE NOTE: Ancestry.com, in partnership with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has added an index to and scanned images of the city birth records of Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga for 1881-1915. The indexes to these records at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web page can be viewed by all. RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE who are not members of Ancestry.com can view the scanned copies of the records by first going to the Tennessee Electronic Library page at http://tntel.tnsos.org/, clicking on the Genealogy tab, and then clicking on Tennessee Records; the scans of the delayed birth records can then be viewed after a free log-in on the Ancestry site. The indexes and images are free to Tennessee residents. Individuals who subscribe to Ancestry.com can also view the scanned records. 

 


TSLA also has "delayed" birth certificates for persons born 1869 - 1914. These delayed certificates were filed at the request of the individual or that person's representative for legal reasons. To locate a delayed birth certificate, we need the following information: name of child, date of birth or approximate date of birth, county of birth (if known) and names of parents (if known). E-mail TSLA and we can check our index to the "delayed" birth records for a specified name.  Please specify that you are requesting a "delayed" birth certificate. TSLA will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

PLEASE NOTE: Ancestry.com, in partnership with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has added an index to and scanned images of the 1869-1909 delayed birth records of Tennessee. The indexes to these records at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web page can be viewed by all. RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE who are not members of Ancestry.com can view the scanned copies of the records by first going to the Tennessee Electronic Library page at http://tntel.tnsos.org/, clicking on the Genealogy tab, and then clicking on Tennessee Records; the scans of the delayed birth records can then be viewed after a free log-in on the Ancestry site. The indexes and images are free to Tennessee residents. Individuals who subscribe to Ancestry.com can also view the scanned records. 

For birth records after 1914 or for "delayed" birth certificates filed for persons born after 1914, contact the Office of Vital Records.


ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:

  • There is a $10 fee to search for a birth record. If the record is found, we will mail a copy to you. If the record is not found, you will be notified by mail. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE (with a current Tennessee postal address) will pay a $5 fee to search for a birth record. If the record is found, we will mail a copy to you. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 


 

Tennessee did not began keeping death records statewide until 1908. The larger cities in Tennessee did keep earlier death records: Nashville (beginning in 1874); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (beginning in 1872); and Memphis (beginning in 1848). Only the early Nashville and Memphis death records are indexed. TSLA can search the unindexed records for one year only; you must provide us with the name of individual, date of death, the city, and the name of the spouse (if known).

The index to Davidson County Death Records 1900-1913 is available on the TSLA web site. The index gives following information on the deceased: last name, first name, race, age, date of death, place of burial, and a citation to the original death certificate.

An online index to Shelby County death records for the years 1848-1961 and a state-wide index to Tennessee death records for the years 1949-2009 is available on the web site of the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

PLEASE NOTE: Ancestry.com, in partnership with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has added an index to and scanned images of the city death records of Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga for 1872-1923. The indexes to these records at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web page can be viewed by all. RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE who are not members of Ancestry.com can view the scanned copies of the records by first going to the Tennessee Electronic Library page at http://tntel.tnsos.org/, clicking on the Genealogy tab, and then clicking on Tennessee Records; the scans of the delayed birth records can then be viewed after a free log-in on the Ancestry site. The indexes and images are free to Tennessee residents. Individuals who subscribe to Ancestry.com can also view the scanned records. 

 

 

Tennessee began keeping death records statewide in 1908. TSLA has statewide death records for the years 1908-1912 and 1914-1964. To find a death record, we need the following information: name of individual, date of death (or three year range to search), county of death (if known) and name of spouse (if known). Please keep in mind that some deaths were not recorded, due to poor record-keeping by local officials.


PLEASE NOTE: Ancestry.com, in partnership with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has added an index to and scanned images of Tennessee death records for the years 1908-1958. The indexes to these records at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web page can be viewed by all. RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE who are not members of Ancestry.com can view the scanned copies of the records by first going to the Tennessee Electronic Library page at http://tntel.tnsos.org/, clicking on the Genealogy tab, and then clicking on Tennessee Records; the scans of the delayed birth records can then be viewed after a free log-in on the Ancestry site. The indexes and images are free to Tennessee residents. Individuals who subscribe to Ancestry.com can also view the scanned records. 

The Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1912 is available on our web site. The index gives the individual's name, county of residence, date of death, and the death certificate number.

The Statewide Index to Tennessee Death Records (1914-1933) is also available on our web site.  The index lists name of deceased, county of death, and volume and page number of the certificate; beginning with death certificates issued in 1926, the certificate number is listed instead of the volume and page. 

 

For death records from 1965 to the present, contact the Office of Vital Records.


ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:

  • There is a $10 fee to search for a death record. If the record is found, we will mail or e-mail a copy to you. If the record is not found, you will be notified by mail. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE (with a current Tennessee postal address) will pay a $5 fee to search for a death record. If the record is found, we will mail or e-mail a copy to you. If the record is not found, you will be notified by mail. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 


 

Indexes and digital images of TSLA's North Carolina and Early Tennessee Land Records 1753-1931  and  North Carolina and Tennessee Revolutionary War Land Warrants 1783-1843 can be found on Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web pageRESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE who are not members of Ancestry.com can view the scanned copies of the records by first going to the Tennessee Electronic Library page at http://tntel.tnsos.org/,  clicking on the Genealogy tab, and then clicking on Tennessee Records; the scans of the land records and land warrants can then be viewed after a free log-in on the Ancestry site. The indexes and images are free to Tennessee residents. Individuals outside of Tennessee who subscribe to Ancestry.com can also view the scanned records.

For those who are not in Tennessee, TSLA has a printed index which lists the names of individuals who received North Carolina land grants in Tennessee and land grants obtained directly from the state of Tennessee. E-mail TSLA with the name of the individual, and we will check to see if there is a listing in the index. TSLA will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.  A copy of the original land grant document can be purchased, once the index has been used to identify the volume, page and district showing where a grant is recorded.

The area we now know as the state of Tennessee was at one time the western part of North Carolina. In 1784, North Carolina ceded those lands back to the United States, setting aside a military reserve to be given as land grants to North Carolina Revolutionary War veterans and other individuals who had been involved in surveying the area. In 1790, Tennessee became part of the “Territory South of the River Ohio.” With increased settlement in the area, in 1796 the population reached the threshold required to become the sixteenth state.

This collection includes land records relating to the settlement of the areas of Tennessee outside of the Military Reserve. A land grant is the government’s first deed to a purchaser and not always a gift. The information a researcher can expect to find for each grant includes the name of the grantee, acreage, grant number, date of grant registration, location of the land, and book and page number. A land grant contains little or no genealogical information. It may, however, serve to place an individual in a specific location at a given time. Heirs of a grantee are seldom named in a grant.

Learn More about North Carolina and Tennessee Land Grants
For a detailed history of land grants in early North Carolina/Tennessee, see the Resource Guide Early North Carolina / Tennessee Land Grants @ TSLA.  Additional materials related to the grant may also be available at TSLA. Researchers have free access to the indexes, and the grant books are available upon request.

 


ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:

  • For a $5 fee, TSLA can photocopy and mail or e-mail the listings for one family name from a published index to land grants. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. The fee is not refundable.  Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Public Services, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2235 -- Printed Index Search Request]
  • There is no charge for an e-mail scan of up to five (5) pages from one published index. The standard fee of $5 will be charged if there are more than five pages.
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • There is a $10 fee to copy a land grant. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE (with a current Tennessee postal address) will pay a $5 fee to copy a land grant. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 


 

Original case files of the Tennessee Supreme Court are housed at the State Library and Archives. Card files for East, West and Middle Tennessee provide a partial plaintiff / defendant index. An online index to these records can be found at http://tnsos.org/tsla/SupremeCourtCases/. You can e-mail TSLA with the citation for the case and we will notify you of the cost to copy a case file. TSLA will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

 


 

Photocopies of items in record groups, including the State Penitentiary records, can be ordered, if the location of the information is provided (volume and page or box and folder number). The Index to Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850 is available on the TSLA web site.

TSLA will search the two published volumes of Tennessee Convicts: Early Records of the State Penitentiary, 1831-1870 for a listing of a name.  The entries in these two volumes are verbatim transcripts of the original records.  If the individual was in the state penitentiary during 1831-1870, e-mail TSLA and we will check to see if there is a listing for the subject in the index. There is no charge to check this published index, and TSLA will notify you of the cost to make a copy of the record if found. TSLA will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

If the individual was in the state penitentiary after 1870, you will need to submit a written request with the following information:  name of individual and a five year date range.  TSLA does NOT accept e-mail requests to search prison records dated after 1870.


ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:

  • For a $5 fee, TSLA can photocopy and mail or e-mail the listings for one family name from the published index Tennessee Convicts: Early Records of the State Penitentiary, 1831-1870. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. The fee is not refundable.  Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Public Services, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2235 -- Printed Index Search Request]
  • There is no charge for an e-mail scan of up to five (5) pages from one published index. The standard fee of $5 will be charged if there are more than five pages.
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • There is a $10 fee to search for a penitentiary record dated after 1870. If the record is found, we will mail or e-mail a copy to you. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE (with a current Tennessee postal address) will pay a $5 fee to search for a penitentiary record dated after 1870. If the record is found, we will mail or e-mail a copy to you. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 


 

Photocopies of items in the papers of Tennessee's governors can be ordered, if the box and file number are provided. E-mail TSLA and we will check to see if there is a listing for the subject in the index at no charge. We will notify you of the cost to make a copy of the record if found. TSLA will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

Many of the governors' collections are available on microfilm and can be borrowed on interlibrary loan free of charge.


ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:

  • There is a $10 basic fee to photocopy items in the Governors Papers. This fee covers the cost of copying up to twenty pages.  This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. (Some files may be very large; we will quote a price for the remaining pages in the file.) The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

  • RESIDENTS OF TENNESSEE (with a current Tennessee postal address)  will pay a $5 fee to photocopy items in the Governors Papers. This fee covers the cost of copying up to 20 pages; each additional copy beyond the initial 20 copies is 50¢. (Some files may be very large; we will quote a price for the remaining pages in the file.) The fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312.  [GO TO FORM SS-2237 -- Microfilm Copy Order]
  • Please submit each search request on a separate form. Orders will be filled promptly and in the order that they are received. Most requests are answered within two weeks of the time they are received by TSLA; however, response times may vary depending on the volume and nature of your request.
  • TSLA can, for an additional $5.00 fee, certify a document in our collection.
  • Some printed indexes and microfilmed records are available for delivery via e-mail through TSLA E-Docs.

 

 

Some printed indexes and microfilmed records may be available for delivery through our e-mail service.  Requests to be delivered by e-mail, however, must be submitted in the same manner as our Services by Mail requests:  payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required.  Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department,  403  Seventh Avenue North,  Nashville TN  37243-0312.  If you request electronic delivery of a document, you must check the e-mail box under "Delivery Instructions". If no boxes are marked, or if more than one box is marked, the record will be photocopied and sent via US Mail.

  • Records available through this service are scanned and saved as a .pdf file.  Documents can only be saved as .pdfs.  Patrons can download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files.
  • Records sent via e-mail service cannot be certified. 
  • TSLA will e-mail the record to one e-mail address. 
  • If the file size exceeds 10 pages or 15 megabytes, the .pdf file will be placed on a CD and mailed. 
  • If it is not feasible to scan the record you are requesting, a print copy will be mailed to you.
  • Due to space limitations, digital copies of records will be maintained on TSLA’s server for 30 days.  After 30 days, the digital copies of the records will be deleted from the server.  Once the digital copies of the records have been deleted, they will not be available for e-mail delivery unless another request, along with the required fee, is submitted. 

Digital copies of records will be sent from the e-mail address reference.tsla@tn.gov

 

 

There are situations where a court, insurance company, Social Security Office, nursing home, or genealogical society may require an individual to submit a certified copy of a document. When TSLA certifies a document, the photocopy is marked with a stamp avowing that it is a true and exact copy of a document held at TSLA. The document is signed and dated by a designated TSLA staff member, and an embossed seal is placed over the signature and date.

  • If needed, TSLA can certify a copy of a record held in our collection.  There is a fee of $5.00 to certify one copy of the document, in addition to the initial search fee. If you wish for more than one copy of a record to be certified, each additional certification is $5.00.
  • If you think certification may be needed, please indicate this when the initial copy order is placed, as we cannot certify after-the-fact any copies that have left our facility.  We cannot certify copies of items that we have not copied ourselves.  If you decide at a later date that you need items certified that you have already received, we will have to charge you for the order a second time and re-copy all the materials.
  • TSLA cannot certify electronic copies (scans) of documents.
  • If you pay in advance for a record search and certification and the record is not located, neither the search fee nor the certification fee are refundable.  For this reason, when searching for a record that you wish to have certified, TSLA suggests that you use our downloadable forms and pay by credit card.  If you pay by credit card and a record is not located, then you will not be charged the additional $5.00 certification fee.

 

Updated April 9, 2015

 

!--New Footer-->