Records that survive
These are the record series the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) has microfilmed for Shelby County, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps.
Land and deeds
- Index to Deed Estates Conveyance (Direct) · Register of Deeds1821
- Index to Deed Estates Conveyance (Reverse) · Register of Deeds1821
Estates and guardianships
- Real Estate Sold for Taxes · Memphis, City of1870
- Real Estate Sold For Taxes · Tax Assessor1871
- Real Estate, Sold for Taxes--2nd Ward · Memphis, City of1872
- Probate Court, Sales of Property · Probate Court1873
- Shelby Co. Tax Bks.--Real Estate/Personal Property Taxes · Tax Assessor1877
- Delinquent Real Estate Taxes · Memphis, City of1900
- Minute Book 78 (Division 1) · Circuit Court1919
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Licenses (Filed by Bond Year and Groom Name) · County Clerk1828–1945
- Vital Records (Deaths) · County Clerk1848–1902
- Vital Records (Index to Deaths) · County Clerk1848–1902
- Marriage Records Index thru Book XX · County Clerk1870
- Birth Index · County Clerk1874
- Birth Records Books #1 and 2 · County Clerk1874
- Marriage Licenses (Filed by Bond Date) · County Clerk1880–1900
- Death Index · County Clerk1881
- Death Records · County Clerk1881–1911
- Marriage Bonds and Licenses (Filed by Bond Numbers) · County Clerk2150–6477
Tax lists
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment--South Memphis) · Memphis, City of1846
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment) · Memphis, City of1847–1894
- Delinquent Taxes · Memphis, City of1854–1878
- Taxable Property State and County · Tax Assessor1857
- City Taxes (Enumeration-Wards) · Memphis, City of1858
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment, Book 5) · Memphis, City of1859
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment--Business) · Memphis, City of1859
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment--Lease of City Property) · Memphis, City of1860
- Taxes, Lease of City Property · Tax Assessor1860
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assess.--Realty and Personalty) · Memphis, City of1861–1876
- Realty and Personalty Tax Poll before date of 1861 · Tax Assessor1861
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment--5th Civil District) · Memphis, City of1862
- Property Tax Assessment · Tax Assessor1862–1876
- City Taxes (Property Tax Assessment--Merchant and Delinquent) · Memphis, City of1864
- and 98 more series in the full listing
Court orders and minutes
- Minute Book · Circuit Court1828–1866
- Council, Board of Alderman Minutes · Memphis, City of1836–1878
- Minute Book (Raleigh) · Circuit Court1837–1839
- Memphis, Chancery Minutes · Miscellaneous Court Records1840–1862
- Misc. Minutes (Index) · Miscellaneous Court Records1840–1851
- Court Appearance Docket · Memphis, City of1843–1848
- Court Civil Execution Docket · Memphis, City of1844
- Old Circuit Court Minute Book 7 · Circuit Court1844
- Chancery Rule Docket Case 1-5 · Miscellaneous Court Records1846–1855
- Minutes · Miscellaneous Court Records1846–1850
- Trial Docket · Miscellaneous Court Records1846–1849
- Misc. Minutes (missing pg. 177 · Miscellaneous Court Records1847
- Court of Law (Final Record-Civil Causes) · Memphis, City of1848
- Commercial/Crim. Minutes · Miscellaneous Court Records1849–1850
- and 73 more series in the full listing
Other records
- Shelby, Historical Summary/C · Miscellaneous Court Records1796–1957
- File #000 thru File #400 (Loose Records) · Circuit Court1819
- File (1), 1820 thru File (535), 1836 · Probate Court1820
- Index 1820-1860 · Probate Court1820
- Juror Payments (Loose Records) · Circuit Court1828
- File (542), 1836 thru File (707), 1839 · Probate Court1836
- File (1), 1840 thru File (256), 1842 · Probate Court1840
- File (259), 1842 thru File (143), 1844 · Probate Court1842
- Final Record Book · Circuit Court1842–1873
- File #401 thru File #000 (Loose Records) · Circuit Court1844
- File (144), 1844 thru File (174), 1845 · Probate Court1844
- File (175), 1845 thru File (173), 1846 · Probate Court1845
- Commercial/Crim. Appearance · Miscellaneous Court Records1846–1848
- File (174), 1846 thru File (13), 1848 · Probate Court1846
- and 175 more series in the full listing
Open TSLA's full microfilm listing (PDF)
Source: Tennessee State Library and Archives, county records microfilm listing. Some record titles reflect the segregated record-keeping of their time. Statewide birth and death registration began in 1914, after a brief statewide attempt in 1908–1912.
Where to find the records
- Shelby County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the register of deeds, the county clerk and the chancery and circuit court clerks, and any online record search the county offers.
- The register of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records, usually from the county's beginning.
- The county clerk
Marriage licenses and bonds and the county court's minutes. For most of the 1800s the county court also handled wills, estates and guardians.
- The chancery and circuit court clerks
Lawsuits, including the chancery suits families used to divide land and settle estates.
- TSLA: Shelby County records on microfilm (PDF)free
Every filmed volume with its years and roll number, by office.
- Tennessee State Library and Archivesfree
The state archives in Nashville, with microfilm of county records from every county.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Tennessee, Shelby" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Hardin County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Hardin County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1819, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Tennessee's county court minutes record estate settlements, guardians, road orders and much more. When a will is missing, look there and in the chancery court, where families often went to divide land.