African-American Genealogy
Archives and Libraries
FamilySearch Catalog - Williamson County, Tennessee
FamilySearch - Family History Center Locator: Williamson County
Newspaper Archives - Obituaries & Family History Records
Tennessee Secretary of State - Williamson County, Tennessee
Tennessee Virtual Archive -Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County Archives & Museum - Franklin, TN
Williamson County Public Library - Franklin, TN
FamilySearch - Family History Center Locator: Williamson County
Newspaper Archives - Obituaries & Family History Records
Tennessee Secretary of State - Williamson County, Tennessee
Tennessee Virtual Archive -Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County Archives & Museum - Franklin, TN
Williamson County Public Library - Franklin, TN
Bible Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Bible Records
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Bible Records
Bibliography
Amazon - 1799-1832 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1833-1844 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1845-1865 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1859-1929 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1799-1865 Minute Book Genealogy of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1799-1832 Probate Genealogy of Williamson Co. TN
Amazon - 1833-1852 Probate Genealogy of Williamson Co. TN
Tennessee Secretary of State - Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources > Williamson County
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Authors
Amazon - 1833-1844 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1845-1865 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1859-1929 Guardian Records of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1799-1865 Minute Book Genealogy of Williamson County, Tennessee
Amazon - 1799-1832 Probate Genealogy of Williamson Co. TN
Amazon - 1833-1852 Probate Genealogy of Williamson Co. TN
Tennessee Secretary of State - Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources > Williamson County
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Authors
Biographies
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Bios Board
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Family Histories
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Biographies
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Bios Board
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Family Histories
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Biographies
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Cemeteries
ePodunk - Williamson County, Tennessee
Find A Grave - Williamson County, Tennessee
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Cemetery Database - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Cemetery Records
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson Co. TN Cemetery Map
The Political Graveyard - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Tombstone Project - Williamson County, Tennessee
Find A Grave - Williamson County, Tennessee
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Cemetery Database - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Cemetery Records
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson Co. TN Cemetery Map
The Political Graveyard - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Tombstone Project - Williamson County, Tennessee
Census Records
Census Finder - Tennessee Census Records
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheet
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheet
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Church Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Church Records
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Church Records
Court Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County Clerk of Circuit Court - Franklin, TN
Williamson County Clerk of Circuit Court - Franklin, TN
Estate Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Will Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Will Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Family Trees
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - DNA Projects Links
TNGenWeb Project - Genealogy Calculators
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Personal Homepages
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Surnames
TNGenWeb Project - USGenWeb Lineage Researcher Page
TNGenWeb Project - DNA Projects Links
TNGenWeb Project - Genealogy Calculators
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Personal Homepages
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Surnames
TNGenWeb Project - USGenWeb Lineage Researcher Page
General Resources
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheets
FamilySearch Wiki - Williamson County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - The Association for Gravestone Studies
RootsWeb - Comfort Foods
RootsWeb - Create a timeline of History
RootsWeb - Deciphering Old Handwriting
RootWebs - 1657 - 1918 Epidemics in the United States
RootWebs - 1702 - 1942 Epidemics in the United States
RootWebs - Good Things to Know
RootsWeb - Historical Collections of Tennessee
RootWebs - List of Diseases with Meanings
RootsWeb - Search the DAR Library Catalog
TNGenWeb Project - 19th Century Medical Terminology
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Lookups
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Resources
Williamson County Government - Williamson County, Tennessee
Yesterday's Perry Co. - Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee
FamilySearch Wiki - Williamson County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - The Association for Gravestone Studies
RootsWeb - Comfort Foods
RootsWeb - Create a timeline of History
RootsWeb - Deciphering Old Handwriting
RootWebs - 1657 - 1918 Epidemics in the United States
RootWebs - 1702 - 1942 Epidemics in the United States
RootWebs - Good Things to Know
RootsWeb - Historical Collections of Tennessee
RootWebs - List of Diseases with Meanings
RootsWeb - Search the DAR Library Catalog
TNGenWeb Project - 19th Century Medical Terminology
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Lookups
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Resources
Williamson County Government - Williamson County, Tennessee
Yesterday's Perry Co. - Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee
History
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County History
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Occupations of Yesteryear
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Voters
Wikipedia.org - Williamson County, Tennessee
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County History
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Occupations of Yesteryear
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Voters
Wikipedia.org - Williamson County, Tennessee
Historical Places
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
National Register of Historic Places - Williamson County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - National Register of Historic Places Listings in Williamson County, Tennessee
National Register of Historic Places - Williamson County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - National Register of Historic Places Listings in Williamson County, Tennessee
Land Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
Tennessee Century Farms - Williamson County, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County Register of Deeds - Franklin, TN
Tennessee Century Farms - Williamson County, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County Register of Deeds - Franklin, TN
Maps
My Genealogy Hound - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed’s 1886 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Maps by Charles Reeves
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Census Maps
TNGenWeb Project - 1818 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Maps
TNGenWeb Project - The Maps Our Ancestors Followed
TNGenWeb Project - Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Maps
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed’s 1886 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Maps by Charles Reeves
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Census Maps
TNGenWeb Project - 1818 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Maps
TNGenWeb Project - The Maps Our Ancestors Followed
TNGenWeb Project - Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Maps
Military Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook
RootsWeb - War of 1812
National Archives - WWII Army Casualties: Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - A Salute To Our Fallen Heroes
TNGenWeb Project - American Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - The Civil War In Wayne County
TNGenWeb Project - Civil War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed Regimental Sketches
TNGenWeb Project - Hidden Ancestors Veteran Project
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee and the Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the War of 1812
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in World War I
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Military Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Tennessee in the American Civil War
RootsWeb - Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook
RootsWeb - War of 1812
National Archives - WWII Army Casualties: Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - A Salute To Our Fallen Heroes
TNGenWeb Project - American Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - The Civil War In Wayne County
TNGenWeb Project - Civil War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed Regimental Sketches
TNGenWeb Project - Hidden Ancestors Veteran Project
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee and the Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the War of 1812
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in World War I
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Military Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Tennessee in the American Civil War
Museums
Battle of Franklin Trust - Carter House & Carnton
Gallery 202 - Franklin, TN
Lotz House Museum - Franklin, TN
Williamson County Museum - Franklin, TN
Gallery 202 - Franklin, TN
Lotz House Museum - Franklin, TN
Williamson County Museum - Franklin, TN
Native American Genealogy
Museum of the Cherokee Indian - Cherokee, NC
RootsWeb - 1730-1842 Southeastern Native American Documents
The Chickasaw Nation - Ada, Oklahoma
TNGenWeb Project - Cherokee By Blood
TNGenWeb Project - First People of Tennessee and the American Southeast
TNGenWeb Project - The Intruder
TNGenWeb Project - Native American History
RootsWeb - 1730-1842 Southeastern Native American Documents
The Chickasaw Nation - Ada, Oklahoma
TNGenWeb Project - Cherokee By Blood
TNGenWeb Project - First People of Tennessee and the American Southeast
TNGenWeb Project - The Intruder
TNGenWeb Project - Native American History
Newspapers
Obituaries
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
Photographs
Queries & Mailing Lists
TNGenWeb Project - All Tennessee Query Systems
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Queries
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Queries
School Records
Societies
Boones Creek Historical Trust - Gray, TN
East Tennessee Historical Society - Knoxville, Tennessee
Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society - Nashville, TN
Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution - Williamson County, TN
Williamson County Historical Society - Franklin, TN
East Tennessee Historical Society - Knoxville, Tennessee
Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society - Nashville, TN
Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution - Williamson County, TN
Williamson County Historical Society - Franklin, TN
Tax Records
Towns, Cities & Townships
City of Brentwood - Brentwood, TN
City of Fairview - Fairview, TN
City of Franklin - Franklin, TN
City of Spring Hill - Spring Hill, TN
Town of Nolensville - Nolensville, TN
Town of Thompson's Station - Thompson's Station, TN
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Towns
Wikipedia.org - Brentwood, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Fairview, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Franklin, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Nolensville, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Spring Hill, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Thompson's Station, Tennessee
City of Fairview - Fairview, TN
City of Franklin - Franklin, TN
City of Spring Hill - Spring Hill, TN
Town of Nolensville - Nolensville, TN
Town of Thompson's Station - Thompson's Station, TN
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Towns
Wikipedia.org - Brentwood, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Fairview, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Franklin, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Nolensville, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Spring Hill, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Thompson's Station, Tennessee
Vital Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, TN Birth Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, TN Marriage Records
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1949-2014 Death Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Divorce Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index
TNGenWeb - Historical News Index
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Marriage Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
VitalChek - Tennessee Vital Records
Vitalrec.com - Tennessee Vital Records
Williamson County Clerk - Franklin, TN
Genealogy Trails History Group - Williamson County, TN Marriage Records
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1949-2014 Death Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Divorce Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index
TNGenWeb - Historical News Index
TNGenWeb Project - Williamson County Marriage Records
USGenWeb Archives - Williamson County, Tennessee
VitalChek - Tennessee Vital Records
Vitalrec.com - Tennessee Vital Records
Williamson County Clerk - Franklin, TN
Many Tennessee family records can be found online and at various archives and libraries located throughout the state of Tennessee. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at county courthouses, historical societies, churches, county clerks' offices, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Tennessee. To find these and other records, click on the links below to find more information about the specific counties where your ancestors lived in Tennessee. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Tennessee have changed over the past two hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Tennessee's 95 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Tennessee have changed over the past two hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Tennessee's 95 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.
County
Anderson County Bedford County Benton County Bledsoe County Blount County Bradley County Campbell County Cannon County Carroll County Carter County Cheatham County Chester County Claiborne County Clay County Cocke County Coffee County Crockett County Cumberland County Davidson County Decatur County DeKalb County Dickson County Dyer County Fayette County Fentress County Franklin County Gibson County Giles County Grainger County Greene County Grundy County Hamblen County Hamilton County Hancock County Hardeman County Hardin County Hawkins County Haywood County Henderson County Henry County Hickman County Houston County Humphreys County Jackson County Jefferson County Johnson County Knox County Lake County Lauderdale County Lawrence County Lewis County Lincoln County Loudon County Macon County Madison County Marion County Marshall County Maury County McMinn County McNairy County Meigs County Monroe County Montgomery County Moore County Morgan County Obion County Overton County Perry County Pickett County Polk County Putnam County Rhea County Roane County Robertson County Rutherford County Scott County Sequatchie County Sevier County Shelby County Smith County Stewart County Sullivan County Tipton County Trousdale County Unicoi County Union County Van Buren County Warren County Washington County Wayne County Weakley County White County Williamson County Wilson County |
Formation Date
1801 1807 1835 1807 1795 1836 1806 1836 1821 1796 1856 1879 1801 1870 1797 1836 1871 1855 1783 1845 1837 1803 1823 1824 1823 1807 1823 1809 1796 1783 1844 1870 1819 1844 1823 1819 1786 1823 1821 1821 1807 1871 1809 1801 1792 1836 1792 1870 1835 1817 1843 1809 1870 1842 1821 1817 1836 1807 1819 1823 1836 1819 1796 1871 1817 1823 1806 1819 1879 1839 1854 1807 1801 1796 1803 1849 1857 1794 1819 1799 1803 1779 1823 1870 1875 1850 1840 1807 1777 1817 1823 1806 1799 1799 |
County Seat
Clinton Shelbyville Camden Pikeville Maryville Cleveland Jacksboro Woodbury Huntingdon Elizabethton Ashland City Henderson Tazewell Celina Newport Manchester Alamo Crossville Nashville Decaturville Smithville Charlotte Dyersburg Somerville Jamestown Winchester Trenton Pulaski Rutledge Greeneville Altamont Morristown Chattanooga Sneedville Bolivar Savannah Rogersville Brownsville Lexington Paris Centerville Erin Waverly Gainesboro Dandridge Mountain City Knoxville Tiptonville Ripley Lawrenceburg Hohenwald Fayetteville Loudon Lafayette Jackson Jasper Lewisburg Columbia Athens Selmer Decatur Madisonville Clarksville Lynchburg Wartburg Union City Livingston Linden Byrdstown Benton Cookeville Dayton Kingston Springfield Murfreesboro Huntsville Dunlap Sevierville Memphis Carthage Dover Blountville Covington Hartsville Erwin Maynardville Spencer McMinnville Jonesborough Waynesboro Dresden Sparta Franklin Lebanon |
Parent County
Knox and Grainger Rutherford County Humphreys County Roane & Indian lands Knox County Indian lands Anderson & Claiborne Rutherford, Smith & Warren Indian lands Washington County Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, & Robertson Henderson, McNairy & Madison Grainger & Hawkins Jackson & Overton Jefferson County Bedford, Warren & Franklin Haywood, Madison, Dyer & Gibson White, Bledsoe, Rhea, Morgan, Fentress & Putnam Part of North Carolina Perry County Franklin, Cannon, Jackson & White Montgomery and Robertson Indian lands Indian lands Morgan, Overton & White Rutherford & Indian lands Indian lands Indian lands Hawkins & Knox counties Washington County Coffee, Warren & Franklin Jefferson, Grainger & Greene Rhea & Indian lands Hawkins & Claiborne Hardin & Indian lands Indian Lands Sullivan County Indian lands Indian lands Indian lands Dickson County Dickson, Humphreys, Montgomery & Stewart Stewart County Smith County & Indian lands Greene & Hawkins Carter County Greene & Hawkins Obion County Haywood, Dyer & Tipton Hickman & Indian lands Hickman, Lawrence, Maury & Wayne Bedford County Roane, Monroe, Blount & McMinn Smith and Sumner counties Indian lands Indian lands Giles, Bedford, Lincoln & Maury Williamson & Indian lands Indian lands Hardin County Rhea County Indian lands Tennessee County Bedford, Lincoln & Franklin Anderson & Roane Indian lands Jackson & Indian lands Humphreys & Hickman Fentress & Overton McMinn & Bradley Fentress, Jackson, Smith, White & Overton Roane County Knox & Indian lands Tennessee & Sumner Davidson, Williamson & Wilson Anderson, Campbell, Fentress & Morgan counties Hamilton, Marion & Warren Jefferson County Chickasaw Nation lands Sumner & Indian lands Montgomery County Washington County Shelby County Wilson, Macon, Smith & Sumner counties Washington & Carter Grainger, Claiborne, Campbell, Anderson & Knox Warren & White White, Jackson, Smith & Indian lands Part of North Carolina Hickman County Indian lands Jackson & Smith Davidson County Sumner County |
USA State Resources
Follow the links below to find many other helpful resources available in the U.S. states where your ancestors lived in the past.
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming