I live in SE TN, and all my family is from the area as well. I know the history of my paternal grandfather's family quite well, but I know virtually nothing earlier than around 1900 for the rest of the family. My paternal grandfather's family came here in the mid-1800's and were Scot/Irish. The rest of ther family, who knows?
"I know virtually nothing earlier than around 1900 for the rest of the family"
The census would be a good starting point, if you want to pursue it. You might also want to check into the Dawes Roll and the Guion Miller Roll for native ancestry. I "found" seven of my folks that way; their "applications" were rejected by the Cherokee, but it helped fill in the blanks nonetheless.
But, if you have any ancestors with surname "Hicks," all bets are off. Impossible. Many joke that they just sprung up in the woods in western NC and eastern TN like mushrooms, because there is absolutely no record of their having come from anywhere else prior, LOL.
Yes. I'd start by doing 1 important thing first. Talk to the old people in your family before they die. If you start doing the research and have no one to whom to ask questions, you'll regret it.
ancestry.com has the 1880 census that you can use free, I think. (the rest of their site is subscription only). if not that site, then familysearch.org for census.