Source Information

Ancestry.com. Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
Original data: Tennessee Delayed Birth Records, 1869–1909. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

About Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909

This database contains delayed birth certificates issued in Tennessee.

Historical Background

Birth certificates were not required by law in Tennessee until 1908. However, the state began to issue delayed birth certificates starting in 1935 after birth certificates were required to register for the newly created Social Security program. Delayed birth certificates provided documentation for those born before the state law took effect or who didn’t have a birth certificate for some other reason. Delayed birth certificates were issued only to people who applied for them; they were not given automatically. People applying for a delayed birth certificate were required to supply supporting documents that proved their birth information.

What You Can Find in the Records

Delayed birth certificates typically contain birth information about the child, parents' names, and what documentation was given to prove the birth date. Forms vary, but you may find these details:

  • place of birth
  • name
  • date of birth
  • sex
  • color
  • father’s name, birthplace, residence, race, age, occupation
  • mother’s name, birthplace, residence, race, age, occupation
  • number of other children
  • supporting evidence