• Welcome Ancestry Library Edition
  • Help

1840 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 Hamilton Montgomery
Bedford Hardeman Morgan
Benton Hardin Obion
Bledsoe Hawkins Overton
Blount Haywood Perry
Bradley Henderson Polk
Campbell Henry Rhea
Cannon Hickman Roane
Carroll Humphreys Robertson
Carter Jackson Rutherford
Claiborne Jefferson Sevier
Cocke Johnson Shelby
Coffee Knox Smith
Davidson Lauderdale Stewart
De Kalb Lawrence Sullivan
Dickson Lincoln Sumner
Dyer Madison Tipton
Fayette Marion Warren
Fentress Marshall Washington
Franklin Maury Wayne
Gibson Mcminn Weakley
Giles Mcnairy White
Grainger Meigs Williamson
Greene Monroe Wilson

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.