A database system uses byte ordering for keys and a trie index to reference stored data. The keys of a database are converted into byte-comparable sequences of byte values. The trie index is generated including nodes connected by edges defining paths from a root node to leaf nodes. Each edge is associated with at least one byte value such that each path from the root node to a leaf node through one or more edges defines a unique byte prefix for a byte-comparable sequence of byte values. The leaf node of each path is associated with a database location value. A record is accessed in the database using a database location value determined from referencing the trie index using a byte-comparable sequence of byte values of the record generated from a key of the record. A trie structure and byte ordered keys may be used for partition or row indices.