Parcel Chartplaces Open the free map

County · code 47003

Bedford CountyTennessee

Bedford County, Tennessee is located in the middle of the state with Shelbyville as its county seat. The county was created on December 3, 1807, from Rutherford and Williamson counties and named after Thomas Bedford.

  • Founded1807
  • County seatShelbyville
  • Named forThomas Bedford
  • Land area474 sq mi + 1.2 sq mi water
  • Population50,237 2020 Census
  • Parcels mapped23,984 checked 16 October 2026
Open the free map Click any parcel in Bedford County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated

MooreMarshallRutherfordCoffeeLincoln Shelbyville Census outline · seat marked

Where it is

Bedford on the map of Tennessee

Tennessee has 95 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

Anderson CountyBenton CountyBledsoe CountyBlount CountyBradley CountyCampbell CountyCannon CountyCarroll CountyCarter CountyCheatham CountyChester CountyClaiborne CountyClay CountyCocke CountyCoffee CountyCrockett CountyCumberland CountyDavidson CountyDecatur CountyDeKalb CountyDickson CountyDyer CountyFayette CountyFentress CountyFranklin CountyGibson CountyGiles CountyGrainger CountyGreene CountyGrundy CountyHamblen CountyHamilton CountyHancock CountyHardeman CountyHardin CountyHawkins CountyHaywood CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyHickman CountyHouston CountyHumphreys CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyJohnson CountyKnox CountyLake CountyLauderdale CountyLawrence CountyLewis CountyLincoln CountyLoudon CountyMcMinn CountyMcNairy CountyMacon CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMaury CountyMeigs CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMoore CountyMorgan CountyObion CountyOverton CountyPerry CountyPickett CountyPolk CountyPutnam CountyRhea CountyRoane CountyRobertson CountyRutherford CountyScott CountySequatchie CountySevier CountyShelby CountySmith CountyStewart CountySullivan CountySumner CountyTipton CountyTrousdale CountyUnicoi CountyUnion CountyVan Buren CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWeakley CountyWhite CountyWilliamson CountyWilson CountyBedford County Bedford
Counties of Tennessee · Bedford highlighted

History

Formed in 1807 from Rutherford County and Williamson County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Bedford County was created from Rutherford and Williamson counties on December 3, 1807, and named after Thomas Bedford. The county's boundaries shifted multiple times over the following decades as neighboring counties were created and local boundary disputes were resolved, including the loss of territory to Coffee and Marshall counties in the 1830s and periodic adjustments with Rutherford and Marshall counties through the 1860s.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

  1. 1807
    Bedford County created Bedford created from Rutherford and Williamson.
    from Rutherfordfrom Williamson
    · Tenn. Acts 1807, 7th assy., 1st sess., ch. 37, sec. 1/p. 71
  2. 1809
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Williamson.
    from Williamson
    · Scott, ch. 37/p. 1141
  3. 1810
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Lincoln and lost to Franklin.
    to Lincolnto Franklin
    · Scott, ch. 43/pp. 1147-1148 and ch. 51/pp. 1158-1160
  4. 1836
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Coffee.
    to Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1835, 21st assy., 1st sess., loc., ch. 36, secs. 1, 14/pp. 155, 159
  5. 1836
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Marshall.
    to Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1835, 21st assy., 1st sess., loc., ch. 35, secs. 1, 13-17/pp. 149, 153-154
Show all 45 changes (40 more, mostly small adjustments)
  1. 1807
    Bedford County created Bedford created from Rutherford and Williamson.
    from Rutherfordfrom Williamson
    · Tenn. Acts 1807, 7th assy., 1st sess., ch. 37, sec. 1/p. 71
  2. 1809
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Williamson.
    from Williamson
    · Scott, ch. 37/p. 1141
  3. 1810
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Lincoln and lost to Franklin.
    to Lincolnto Franklin
    · Scott, ch. 43/pp. 1147-1148 and ch. 51/pp. 1158-1160
  4. 1822
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Lincoln to accommodate local residents.
    from Lincoln
    · Tenn. Acts 1822, 14th assy., 2d sess., ch. 109/p. 96
  5. 1836
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Coffee.
    to Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1835, 21st assy., 1st sess., loc., ch. 36, secs. 1, 14/pp. 155, 159
  6. 1836
    Boundary clarified Boundary between Bedford and Coffee clarified (no change).
    with Coffeeno change
    · Tenn. Acts 1835, 21st assy., 1st sess., loc., ch. 41/p. 168
  7. 1836
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Marshall.
    to Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1835, 21st assy., 1st sess., loc., ch. 35, secs. 1, 13-17/pp. 149, 153-154
  8. 1838
    Boundary clarified Boundary between Bedford and Marshall clarified (no change).
    with Marshallno change
    · Tenn. Acts 1837, 22d assy., ch. 272/p. 402
  9. 1844
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1843, 25th assy., ch. 74/p. 93
  10. 1850
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1849, 28th assy., ch. 144/p. 346
  11. 1856
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Marshall to accommodate local resident.
    from Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1855, 31st assy., ch. 173, secs. 1-5, 8-9/pp. 264-266
  12. 1860
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local resident.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1859, 33d assy., 1st sess., priv., ch. 135, secs. 1-13/pp. 438-440
  13. 1866
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Marshall to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    to Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1866, 34th assy., 2d adj. sess., pub., ch. 9/p. 9
  14. 1867
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1867, 35th assy., 1st sess., pub., ch. 13, secs. 1-7/pp. 9-11
  15. 1867
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Marshall to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    from Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1867, 35th assy., 1st sess., pub., ch. 20/p. 20
  16. 1871
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1871, 37th assy., 1st sess., ch. 34/p. 32
  17. 1872
    Lost territory Bedford lost to creation of Moore.
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1871, 37th assy., 1st sess., ch. 96, secs. 1-2, 4, 10/pp. 90-93; Goodspeed [D], 808
  18. 1883
    Exchanged territory Bedford exchanged small areas with Rutherford.
    with Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1883, 43d assy., ch. 166/p. 215
  19. 1887
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Moore to accommodate local resident.
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1887, 45th assy., ch. 108/p. 197
  20. 1887
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local residents.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1887, 45th assy., ch. 207/p. 337
  21. 1889
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Marshall to accommodate local resident.
    from Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1889, 46th assy., 1st sess., ch. 112/p. 216
  22. 1893
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    from Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1893, 48th assy., ch. 28/p. 36
  23. 1895
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Coffee to accommodate local resident.
    to Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1895, 49th assy., ch. 8/p. 12
  24. 1895
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Marshall to accommodate local residents.
    from Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1895, 49th assy., ch. 216/p. 438
  25. 1897
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local resident.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1897, 50th assy., ch. 256/p. 571
  26. 1899
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1899, 51st assy., ch. 380/p. 888
  27. 1899
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Moore to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    from Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1899, 51st assy., ch. 413/p. 975
  28. 1901
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Moore to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1901, 52d assy., ch. 388/p. 869
  29. 1907
    Exchanged territory Bedford exchanged with Marshall to accommodate local residents.
    with Marshall
    · Tenn. Acts 1907, 55th assy., ch. 490/p. 1655
  30. 1909
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Moore to accommodate local resident.
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1909, 56th assy., ch. 481/p. 1763
  31. 1915
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local resident.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1915, 59th assy., priv., ch. 675/p. 2174
  32. 1917
    Lost territory Bedford lost small area to Coffee.
    to Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1917, 60th assy., priv., ch. 202/p. 672
  33. 1917
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Rutherford to accommodate local resident.
    from Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1917, 60th assy., priv., ch. 754/p. 2348
  34. 1921
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local resident.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1921, 62d assy., priv., ch. 168/p. 460
  35. 1923
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Rutherford to accommodate local resident; Bedford lost small area to Coffee.
    from Rutherfordfrom Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1923, 63d assy., priv., ch. 339/p. 1175; ch. 344/p. 1182
  36. 1923
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1923, 63d assy., priv., ch. 543/p. 2054
  37. 1925
    Changed Boundary between Bedford and Rutherford adjusted to accommodate local resident.
    Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1925, 64th assy., priv., ch. 575/p. 2165
  38. 1927
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Rutherford to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
    from Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1927, 65th assy., priv., ch. 219/p. 599
  39. 1927
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local resident.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1927, 65th assy., priv., ch. 740/p. 2407
  40. 1931
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local resident.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1931, 67th assy., priv., ch. 141/p. 339
  41. 1935
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1935, 69th assy., priv., ch. 127/p. 280
  42. 1937
    Gained territory Bedford gained from Coffee to accommodate local residents.
    from Coffee
    · Tenn. Acts 1937, 70th assy., priv., ch. 556/p. 1783
  43. 1945
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Moore to accommodate local resident.
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1945, 74th assy., priv., ch. 109/p. 374
  44. 1959
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Moore to accommodate local residents.
    to Moore
    · Tenn. Acts 1959, 81st assy., priv., ch. 310, sec. 1/p. 1036
  45. 1963
    Lost territory Bedford lost to Rutherford to accommodate local residents.
    to Rutherford
    · Tenn. Acts 1963, 83d assy., priv., ch. 170/p. 525

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Bedford

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Official
from the office that keeps the record
Good enough
a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback
a guide only; check the official record
Missing
nothing public found yet

People and land

Bedford by the Census

Population
50,237 2020 Census count
Housing units
19,685 2020 Census count
Land area
474 square miles
Water area
1.2 square miles
People per sq mi
106 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Permits

Zoning and code

GIS and maps

County government

See your own lot on these maps

Open Bedford County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Bedford County

When was Bedford County founded?
Bedford County was founded in 1807, formed from Rutherford County and Williamson County, and named after Thomas Bedford.
What is the county seat of Bedford County?
The county seat of Bedford County is Shelbyville.
Is there an online parcel map for Bedford County?
Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 23,984 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Bedford County's boundary or name changed?
Bedford County was created in 1807 from Rutherford County and Williamson County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 42 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Rutherford County, Coffee County and Marshall County.
Who issues building permits in Bedford County?
The county's page on building permits: Fire Code / Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?
We do not have flood maps for Bedford County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby

Counties next door