A bit vector for a Bloom filter is determined by performing one or more hash function operations on a set of ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) words. A TCAM array is partitioned into a first portion to store the bit vector for the Bloom filter and a second portion to store the set of TCAM words. The TCAM array can be searched using a search word by performing the one or more hash function operations on the search word to generate a hashed search word and determining whether bits at specified positions of the hashed search word match bits at corresponding positions of the bit vector stored in the first portion of the TCAM array before searching the second portion of the TCAM array with the search word.