How to Find Tennessee Birth Records

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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 this 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 $, Knoxville $, Memphis Free, and Nashville Free 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. Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births after 1913
Statewide registration of births began in 1914 in Tennessee. Currently, there are no online indexes to Tennessee births from 1914 to the present.

Obtain the Certificate
With full names, dates and places of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from the Tennessee Department of Health (PDF file) or VitalChek.

Restrictions for persons born within the last 75 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 75 years, you must be an immediate family member.

'''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

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