Shelby County, Tennessee

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Shelby County, Tennessee Facts

When was Shelby County, TN Created?

Shelby County was founded on November 24, 1819 from Chickasaw Nation lands acquired through the Jackson Purchase.

What is the County Seat of Shelby County, TN?

The County Seat of government is located in Memphis also, the county government website is www.shelbycountytn.gov .

What counties are adjacent to Shelby County, TN?

Bordering counties are Tipton County, Fayette County, Marshall County, MS, DeSoto County, MS and Crittenden County, AR .

Shelby County Courthouse and Government Records

Shelby County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Shelby County Courthouse?

The following information and facts indicates whatever birth, death, marriage, land, wills, and courtroom records will be in Shelby County or in the Tennessee State Library & Archives. The dates indicated below could be the first widely known documents for this county.

• Shelby County Clerk
  • Address: 150 Washington Ave., Memphis, TN 38103
  • Phone: (901) 222-3000
  • Marriage Records: 1820
  • Probate Records: 1820 (Some Shelby County Probate Court records are available at the Shelby County Public Archives–see Archives, Libraries, and Societies. This includes probate minute books, 1867—1900 and loose papers and wills, 1820-1900 for Shelby County. The Probate Court Clerk’s Office has wills, 1900-present; minute books, 1900-present; and loose papers, 1900-present.)
• Shelby County Register of Deeds
  • Address: 160 North Mid America Mall, Suite 519, Memphis, TN 38103
  • Phone: (901) 545-4366
  • Land & Deed Records: 1821
• Shelby County Clerk of Circuit Court
  • Address: 140 Adams Street, Room 324, Memphis, TN 38103
  • Phone: 901-545-4710
  • Chancery Court Minutes: ?
  • Circuit Court Minutes: 1828
  • County  Court Minutes: ?

Where can find Shelby County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?

Shelby County vital records can be found at the Tennessee Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records which has copies for copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Tennessee for current fees and application process.

Marriage license records are available from the county clerk who issued the marriage license. Court divorce orders may be obtained from the clerk of the court that granted the divorce.

You can search online for Shelby County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Tennessee Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificates to mail.

What Shelby County, TN census records are available?

Federal Population Schedules for Shelby County can be found for 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Shelby Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Shelby Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Shelby Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. The Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research.

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Shelby County, TN?

• Memphis & Shelby County Archives, 150 Washington Ave., Suite 205, Memphis , TN 38103; Phone: (901) 545-4356
• City of Germantown Municipal Archives, 1930 S. Germantown Rd., Germantown , TN 38138; Phone: (901) 757-7260
• History and Travel Department (Genealogy), 1850 Peabody Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104, (901) 725-8821
• Memphis-Shelby County Health Dept, Division of Vital Records, 814 Jefferson Ave., Memphis, TN 38105
• Memphis/Shelby County Public Library Archives
• West Tennessee Historical Society, PO Box 111046, Memphis, TN 38111 901-678-8242
• Bartlett Historical Society, Bartlett Museum, Gotten House, 2969 Court Street, Bartlett, TN 38134 901-373-8433
• Center for Southern Folklore, Archives, 119 S. Main Street, Suite 106, PO Box 226, Memphis, TN 38101 901-525-3655
• Mississippi River Museum at Mud Island, Mud Island Park, City of Memphis, 125 N. Front Street, Memphis, TN 38103 901-576-7230
• LeMoyne-Owen College, Hollis F. Price Library, 807 Walker Avenue, Memphis, TN 38126 901-942-7381
• Rhodes College, Burrow Library, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 901-323-9063
• Christian Brothers University, Brother O’Donnell Archives, 2455 Avery Ave., Memphis, TN 38104 901-278-0100
• Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee, 692 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38105 901-476-7079
• Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1978 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104 901-276-8602
• Temple Israel Archives, (Jewish Historical Society of Memphis & Midsouth), 1376 East Massey, Memphis, TN 38120 901-761-3130

Shelby County Genealogy Resources

Where can I connect with other Shelby County, TN Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Tennessee Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• Tennessee State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Shelby County, Tennessee Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Shelby County
• Shelby County, Tennessee Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• Genealogical “Fact Sheets” About Shelby County (tn.gov) The purpose of these fact sheets is to help determine what sources are available for genealogical research about the people and places in Shelby County. Although this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the possible places one might search, it does cover the major publications and microfilms available at TSLA on the Shelby County.

What other genealogical resources are available in Shelby County, TN?

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Shelby County. A majority of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a payment. This is merely a collection which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to suggest your own most popular Shelby County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.

Shelby Co. TN Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Tennessee Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Tennessee historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Tennessee (1795 – 1929 ) (genealogybank.com) Rapidly find names and key phrases in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements as well as other items written in over 2,800 old U.S. newspapers. Brand new articles and other content added every month!
• Tennessee Newspaper List by County and City (.state.tn.us)
• Shelby County, Tennessee Books (amazon.com)
• Search Tennessee Obituaries (1990 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Shelby Co. TN Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• Tennessee Vital Records Research Guide
• Order Hard Copies of Vital Records  (archives.com)
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Shelby Co. TN Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• Tennessee Real Estate Assessment Data Property Search (assessment.state.tn.us)
• Shelby County Records on Microfilm (tennessee.gov) – Order County Microfilm Inventories and Reels
• Early Shelby County Records Available on Interlibrary Loan (tennessee.gov)
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Shelby Co. TN Census Records

• Tennessee Census Records Research Guide
• Shelby County, TN Census Records Links
• Shelby County, TN Census QuickFacts

Shelby Co. TN Cemeteries & Church Records

• Shelby Co., Tennessee Graves (findagrave.com)
• Shelby County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Shelby Co., Tennessee Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Shelby Co., Tennessee Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Shelby County, Tennessee Church Books (amazon.com)

Shelby Co. TN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• 1911 Who’s Who in Tennessee: A Biographical Reference Book of Notable Tennesseans – (tngenweb.org)
• Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Shelby Co. TN General and History Websites

• Shelby County Tennessee (genealogytrails.com)
• Shelby County History and Culture (tennesseeencyclopedia.net)
• Shelby County, Tennessee Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Shelby County, Tennessee Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Shelby Co. TN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Shelby County – American History and Genealogy Project (usgennet.org)
• Shelby County, Tennessee (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Tennessee – Counties – Shelby (cyndislist.com)
• Shelby Co. TNGenweb (wdbj.net)
• Shelby County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Shelby Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Shelby Co. TN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Tennessee Links and Information
• Shelby Co. D.O.T. County Highway Map
• 1895 Shelby County Map (livgenmi.com)

Shelby Co. TN Military Records

• Tennessee Military Records Research Guide
• Tennessee Military Records (Fold3.com) delivers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Tennessee both women and men that served. Great for Shelby County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.