Wayne County, Tennessee

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

Wayne County, Tennessee Facts

When was Wayne County, TN Created?

Wayne County was founded on November 24, 1817 from Hickman and Humphreys (An earlier, but separate, “Wayne County” is included in today’s Carter County and part of Johnson County. It was established in 1785 under the state of Franklin but was abolished in 1788).

What is the County Seat of Wayne County, TN?

The County Seat of government is located in Waynesboro also, the county government website is www.waynecountytn.org/ .

What counties are adjacent to Wayne County, TN?

Bordering counties are Perry County, Lewis County, Lawrence County, Lauderdale County, AL, Hardin County and Decatur County .

Wayne County Courthouse and Government Records

Wayne County Courthouse

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

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

• Wayne County Clerk
  • Address: P.O. Box 367, 200 Court Square, Waynesboro, TN 38485
  • Phone: (931) 722-5544
  • Marriage Records: 1857
  • Probate Records: 1848
• Wayne County Register of Deeds
  • Address: P.O. Box 465, Waynesboro, TN 38485
  • Phone: (931) 722-5518
  • Land & Deed Records: 1821
• Wayne County Clerk of Circuit Court
  • Address: P.O. Box 869, Waynesboro, TN 38485-0869
  • Phone: 931-722-5519
  • Chancery Court Minutes: 1861
  • Circuit Court Minutes: 1851
  • County  Court Minutes: 1848

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

Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, TN census records are available?

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

Wayne Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Wayne Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Wayne 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 Wayne County, TN?

• Wayne County Archives, Room 305 Courthouse, Waynesboro , TN 38485; Phone: (931) 722-5016
• Wayne County Historical Society, P.O. Box 866, Waynesboro 38485-0866
• Wayne County Public Library, Highway 64 East, PO Box 630, Waynesboro, TN 38485 931-722-5537

Wayne County Genealogy Resources

Where can I connect with other Wayne 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)
• Wayne County, Tennessee Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Wayne County
• Wayne County, Tennessee Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• Genealogical “Fact Sheets” About Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County.

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

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Wayne 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 Wayne County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.

Wayne 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)
• Wayne County, Tennessee Books (amazon.com)
• Search Tennessee Obituaries (1990 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Wayne 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)

Wayne Co. TN Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

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

Wayne Co. TN Census Records

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

Wayne Co. TN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Wayne 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)

Wayne Co. TN General and History Websites

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

Wayne Co. TN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Wayne 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 Wayne County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.