Old Search

1850 United States Federal Census

Original Images

This database contains images of original records.

Sample Forms
Download blank Census forms
You can fill out the form with information on your ancestor, or just use it to better read the column headings.

Handwriting Help
View a sampling of handwriting examples
The examples should help you read the text on the original images more easily.

Please choose a county in Tennessee:

Anderson Hancock Morgan
Bedford Hardeman Obion
Benton Hardin Overton
Bledsoe Hawkins Perry
Blount Haywood Polk
Bradley Henderson Rhea
Campbell Henry Roane
Cannon Hickman Robertson
Carroll Humphreys Rutherford
Carter Jackson Scott
Claiborne Jefferson Sevier
Cocke Johnson Shelby
Coffee Knox Smith
Davidson Lauderdale Stewart
Decatur Lawrence Sullivan
Dekalb Lewis Sumner
Dickson Lincoln Tipton
Dyer Macon Van Buren
Fayette Madison Warren
Fentress Marion Washington
Franklin Marshall Wayne
Gibson Maury Weakley
Giles McMinn White
Grainger McNairy Williamson
Greene Meigs Wilson
Grundy Monroe
Hamilton Montgomery

Census Records - Counties

After separating the census records into groups by state, the federal government subdivided these records into county groups. Searching for an ancestor on the county level provides a smaller region for research if you remain uncertain about the specific township where your ancestor resided. Researchers should also be aware of boundary line or jurisdictional changes through time. These changes may affect where an ancestor was enumerated on the census, so it remains important to search the counties surrounding the area where your ancestor lived.