When was Claiborne County founded?

Claiborne County was founded in 1801, formed from Grainger County and Hawkins County, and named after William C. C. Claiborne.

What is the county seat of Claiborne County?

The county seat of Claiborne County is Tazewell.

Is there an online parcel map for Claiborne County?

Yes. Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments (published by the Office of Information Resources) publishes a parcel map of 22,522 parcels, rated official here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Claiborne County's boundary or name changed?

Claiborne County was created in 1801 from Grainger County and Hawkins County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 43 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Union County, Campbell County and Hancock County.

Who issues building permits in Claiborne County?

The county's page on building permits: Building Permits – Claiborne County. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Claiborne County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 47025

Claiborne CountyTennessee

Claiborne County is a county in Tennessee with its seat in Tazewell, formed in 1801.

Founded1801
County seatTazewell
Named forWilliam C. C. Claiborne
Land area435 sq mi + 7 sq mi water
Population32,043 2020 Census
Parcels mapped22,522 checked 14 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Claiborne County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1801 from Grainger County and Hawkins County

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

Claiborne County was formed in 1801 from Grainger County and Hawkins County, and named after William C. C. Claiborne. Tazewell is the county seat.

Deeds and plats from before 1801 for land now in Claiborne County may have been recorded in Grainger County and Hawkins County.

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

1801
Claiborne County created Claiborne created from Grainger, Hawkins, and Non-County Area 2.
from Grainger from Hawkins
6 December 1801 · Tenn. Acts 1801, 4th assy., ch. 46, secs. 1, 13, 17/pp. 279, 281
1806
Lost territory Claiborne lost to creation of Campbell.
to Campbell
11 September 1806 · Scott, ch. 21, sec. 1/p. 945
1817
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Campbell.
with Campbell
22 November 1817 · Tenn. Acts 1817, 12th assy., ch. 159/p. 194
1824
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Hawkins.
with Hawkins
15 October 1824 · Tenn. Acts 1824, 15th assy., 2d sess., ch. 121/p. 118
1846
Lost territory Claiborne lost to creation of Hancock; creation upheld by Tennessee Supreme Court, September 1848.
to Hancock
29 January 1846 · Tenn. Acts 1845, 26th assy., ch. 126/p. 200; "Ford v. Farmer" in Tenn. Rpts., 28:151-161 [Humphreys, vol. 9]

Show all 44 changes (39 more, mostly small adjustments)

1801
Claiborne County created Claiborne created from Grainger, Hawkins, and Non-County Area 2.
from Grainger from Hawkins
6 December 1801 · Tenn. Acts 1801, 4th assy., ch. 46, secs. 1, 13, 17/pp. 279, 281
1806
Lost territory Claiborne lost to creation of Campbell.
to Campbell
11 September 1806 · Scott, ch. 21, sec. 1/p. 945
1809
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Grainger when boundary was changed from the north bank to the middle of Clinch River.
from Grainger
19 October 1809 · Scott, ch. 20/p. 1133
1817
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Campbell.
with Campbell
22 November 1817 · Tenn. Acts 1817, 12th assy., ch. 159/p. 194
1824
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Hawkins.
with Hawkins
15 October 1824 · Tenn. Acts 1824, 15th assy., 2d sess., ch. 121/p. 118
1844
Changed Legislature authorized creation of Hancock from Claiborne and Hawkins; Chancery Court of Hawkins halted organization of Hancock on constitutional grounds; creation did not take effect.
Hancock Hawkins
7 January 1844 · Tenn. Acts 1843, 25th assy., ch. 71, secs. 1-2, 4, 16-17/pp. 87-88, 91; "Ford v. Farmer" in Tenn. Rpts., 28:151-161 [Humphreys, vol. 9]
1845
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Hawkins to accommodate local residents.
to Hawkins
23 December 1845 · Tenn. Acts 1845, 26th assy., ch. 31/p. 79
1846
Lost territory Claiborne lost to creation of Hancock; creation upheld by Tennessee Supreme Court, September 1848.
to Hancock
29 January 1846 · Tenn. Acts 1845, 26th assy., ch. 126/p. 200; "Ford v. Farmer" in Tenn. Rpts., 28:151-161 [Humphreys, vol. 9]
1848
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local resident.
to Campbell
19 January 1848 · Tenn. Acts 1847, 27th assy., ch. 66/p. 99
1852
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell.
to Campbell
26 January 1852 · Tenn. Acts 1851, 29th assy., ch. 249/p. 407
1854
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Campbell, lost to creation of Union.
with Campbell with Union
26 January 1854 · Tenn. Acts 1849, 28th assy., ch. 61, secs. 1-2, 4, 18/pp. 181-187; Tenn. Acts 1851, 29th assy., ch. 22/p. 26; Tenn. Acts 1853, 30th assy., ch. 2, secs. 1-2/pp. 25-26; Graves, 1:68-69
1854
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Campbell.
from Campbell
20 February 1854 · Tenn. Acts 1853, 30th assy., ch. 129/p. 203
1856
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Union to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
from Union
29 February 1856 · Tenn. Acts 1855, 31st assy., ch. 166 [printed as 156]/p. 258
1860
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident (later repealed).
to Union
23 March 1860 · Tenn. Acts 1859, 33d assy., 1st sess., priv., ch. 196, secs. 1-11/pp. 575-577
1868
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident.
to Union
7 March 1868 · Tenn. Acts 1867, 35th assy., 1st sess., pub., ch. 60/p. 75
1870
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Grainger to accommodate local residents; Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local residents.
from Grainger from Union
28 February 1870 · Tenn. Acts 1869, 36th assy., 1st sess., pub., ch. 88/p. 105
1870
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local residents.
to Campbell
28 June 1870 · Tenn. Acts 1870, 36th assy., 2d sess., ch. 41/p. 70
1871
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local residents.
to Campbell
26 October 1871 · Tenn. Acts 1871, 37th assy., 1st sess., ch. 10/p. 9
1873
Changed Legislature authorized creation of Webster from Campbell, Claiborne, and Union; creation did not take effect.
Webster CampbellUnion
24 March 1873 · Tenn. Acts 1873, 38th assy., ch. 77, secs. 1, 13/pp. 111, 115; McBride, 8
1879
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Union to accommodate local resident.
from Union
18 March 1879 · Tenn. Acts 1879, 41st assy., 1st sess., ch. 111/p. 148
1879
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Union to accommodate local residents.
from Union
25 March 1879 · Tenn. Acts 1879, 41st assy., 1st sess., ch. 137, secs. 1-17/pp. 174-177
1881
Lost territory Claiborne lost small area to Campbell.
to Campbell
30 March 1881 · Tenn. Acts 1881, 42d assy., 1st sess., ch. 42/p. 51
1883
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Union to accommodate local residents.
from Union
9 March 1883 · Tenn. Acts 1883, 43d assy., ch. 40/p. 46
1887
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local residents.
to Union
28 March 1887 · Tenn. Acts 1887, 45th assy., ch. 227/p. 388
1887
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Union to accommodate local resident.
from Union
1 July 1887 · Tenn. Acts 1887, 45th assy., ch. 45/p. 117
1891
Changed Legislature authorized Campbell to gain from Claiborne; gain did not take effect.
Campbell
13 February 1891 · Tenn. Acts 1891, 47th assy., ch. 23/p. 52
1891
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Union to accommodate local residents.
with Union
3 March 1891 · Tenn. Acts 1891, 47th assy., ch. 255/p. 489
1891
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local residents.
to Union
17 March 1891 · Tenn. Acts 1891, 47th assy., ch. 53/p. 136
1895
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Union to accommodate local residents.
with Union
29 January 1895 · Tenn. Acts 1895, 49th assy., ch. 7/p. 12
1895
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local resident.
to Campbell
9 April 1895 · Tenn. Acts 1895, 49th assy., ch. 93/p. 158
1895
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Hancock to accommodate local residents; Claiborne exchanged with Union to accommodate local residents.
from Hancock from Union
14 May 1895 · Tenn. Acts 1895, 49th assy., ch. 195/p. 391; ch. 215/p. 438
1899
Exchanged territory Claiborne exchanged with Hancock to accommodate local residents.
with Hancock
17 March 1899 · Tenn. Acts 1899, 51st assy., ch. 132/p. 218
1899
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local residents.
to Campbell
30 March 1899 · Tenn. Acts 1899, 51st assy., ch. 144/p. 254
1909
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local resident.
to Campbell
27 April 1909 · Tenn. Acts 1909, 56th assy., ch. 257/p. 873
1909
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident.
to Union
30 April 1909 · Tenn. Acts 1909, 56th assy., ch. 394/p. 1387
1917
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Hancock to accommodate local residents (later repealed).
to Hancock
30 January 1917 · Tenn. Acts 1917, 60th assy., priv., ch. 36/p. 111
1923
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Campbell to accommodate local resident.
from Campbell
28 March 1923 · Tenn. Acts 1923, 63d assy., priv., ch. 378/p. 1330
1937
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident.
to Union
10 February 1937 · Tenn. Acts 1937, 70th assy., priv., ch. 175/p. 509
1945
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local resident.
to Campbell
24 February 1945 · Tenn. Acts 1945, 74th assy., priv., ch. 319/p. 996
1947
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident.
to Union
28 February 1947 · Tenn. Acts 1947, 75th assy., priv., ch. 441/p. 1765
1949
Gained territory Claiborne gained from Hancock to accommodate local residents (later repealed).
from Hancock
15 April 1949 · Tenn. Acts 1949, 76th assy., priv., ch. 891/p. 2889
1951
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local residents.
to Union
29 January 1951 · Tenn. Acts 1951, 77th assy., priv., ch. 52/p. 145
1957
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Campbell to accommodate local resident.
to Campbellto Claiborne-Campbell
6 March 1957 · Tenn. Acts 1957, 80th assy., priv., ch. 142/p. 420
1965
Lost territory Claiborne lost to Union to accommodate local resident.
to Unionto Caliborne-Union
25 March 1965 · Tenn. Acts 1965, 84th assy., priv., ch. 156/p. 544

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Claiborne

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

Parcels Official

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 22,522 parcels from Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments (published by the Office of Information Resources). Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 10 September 2026 · checked 14 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 20,358 in all from TECB and local 911 districts via TNMap (tnmap_oir).
edited 6 October 2026 · checked 14 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

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

Claiborne by the Census

Population

32,043 2020 Census count

Housing units

15,321 2020 Census count

Land area

435 square miles

Water area

7 square miles

People per sq mi

74 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

Assessor and property recordsfrom claibornecountytn.gov · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Building Permits – Claiborne Countyfrom claibornecountytn.gov

County government

County government
The official website of Claiborne County.
claibornecountytn.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Claiborne 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 Claiborne County

When was Claiborne County founded?: Claiborne County was founded in 1801, formed from Grainger County and Hawkins County, and named after William C. C. Claiborne.
What is the county seat of Claiborne County?: The county seat of Claiborne County is Tazewell.
Is there an online parcel map for Claiborne County?: Yes. Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments (published by the Office of Information Resources) publishes a parcel map of 22,522 parcels, rated official here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Claiborne County's boundary or name changed?: Claiborne County was created in 1801 from Grainger County and Hawkins County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 43 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Union County, Campbell County and Hancock County.
Who issues building permits in Claiborne County?: The county's page on building permits: Building Permits – Claiborne County. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Claiborne County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby