Tennessee Ancestors
The signature genealogical program of the East Tennessee Historical Society.
Discover your roots. Share their stories.
Think your Tennessee roots run deep? Tennessee Ancestors, the signature genealogical program of the East Tennessee Historical Society, aims to document your roots and to connect you not only to your ancestors but also to your family’s place in the state’s history.
The Original Mission
Launched by the East Tennessee Historical Society as part of Tennessee’s Bicentennial celebration in 1992, a new genealogical program, First Families of Tennessee, asked participants to trace their descent from early European immigrants who moved onto lands that became the Volunteer State.
By the time charter membership closed in 1996, 11,700 individuals had joined First Families, each tracing their lineage to one of 2,200 early Tennesseans. Those names—and the stories behind them—were preserved in First Families of Tennessee: A Register of Early Settlers and Their Present-Day Descendants, a landmark volume published in 2000.
Since then, interest in First Families has not slowed. In excess of 17,000 certificates have been awarded, representing more than 2,500 pioneering ancestors. And here’s the best part: all of those applications did not vanish into the past. They are carefully preserved in the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, Knox County Public Library, on the third floor of the East Tennessee History Center in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.
250 years of American history. Thousands of Tennessee stories. One place to start: Tennessee Ancestors.
Looking back on the success of First Families and Civil War Families, one thing is clear: genealogy matters. These programs haven’t just generated lists of names—they’ve helped thousands of people understand who they are and where they come from.
At the East Tennessee Historical Society, we believe everyone deserves the chance to discover their roots.
Genealogical research strengthens families, fosters pride of place, and builds a richer, more inclusive picture of East Tennessee’s past.
That’s why we’re proud to introduce Tennessee Ancestors—a dynamic new genealogy program designed to bring even more people into the story.
Document your family’s past by becoming a member of Tennessee Ancestors
Membership in Tennessee Ancestors spans multiple categories.
- FIRST FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE Residency in what is now Tennessee prior to 1796 statehood.
- WAR OF 1812 FAMILIES Participation in the War of 1812 from Tennessee.
- CIVIL WAR FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE Served in or from Tennessee during the Civil War, Union or Confederate.
- 1870 FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE Residence in Tennessee as determined by the 1870 US Census, the first to enumerate Indigenous and Black person.
- WORLD WAR I FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE Participation in World War I from Tennessee.
- CENTURY FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE Residence in Tennessee for at least 100 years (e.g., in 2025, residence is required by 1925).
TN Ancestors Products
First Families of Tennessee
With more than 17,000 members, representing every state and eight foreign countries, the First Families of Tennessee applications and proof of lineage comprise the largest collection of information on the state’s early settlers and their families.
Civil War Families of Tennessee
Civil War Families of Tennessee seeks to identify and honor the sacrifices of the valiant soldiers on both sides of the conflict.
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