St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy
Guide to St. Landry Parish, Louisiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| St. Landry Parish, Louisiana | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Louisiana, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Louisiana in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | March 31, 1807 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Seat | Opelousas | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Address | 118 South Court Street
Opelousas, LA 70570 | ||||||||
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Contents
- 1 Parish Information
- 2 Parish Courthouse
- 3 History
- 4 Places / Localities
- 5 Resources
- 6 Societies and Libraries
- 7 Websites
- 8 References
Parish Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Saint Landry. The County has Opelousas as its seat and the County was created 1807. The County is located in the central area of the state.[1]
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1756 | 1914 | 1760s | 1760s | 1760s | 1700s |
Parish Courthouse[edit | edit source]
St. Landry Parish Courthouse
Court and Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337.942.5606
Parish Clerk has marriage records from 1808, divorce and court records from 1813 and probate records from 1809.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
Parent Parish[edit | edit source]
- 1807--St. Landry Parish was created 31 March 1807 from Opelousas (Old) Parish.
Parish seat: Opelousas [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Louisiana Parish boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Louisiana Parish Boundary Maps" (1805-1990) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places / Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Parishes or Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana African American Griots Project
- Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Index to Bible Records, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- St. Landry Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to St. Landry Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- St. Landry Parish Family Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on St. Landry Parish cemeteries.
- Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 12,591 | — |
| 1840 | 15,233 | 21.0% |
| 1850 | 22,253 | 46.1% |
| 1860 | 23,104 | 3.8% |
| 1870 | 25,553 | 10.6% |
| 1880 | 40,004 | 56.6% |
| 1890 | 40,250 | 0.6% |
| 1900 | 52,906 | 31.4% |
| 1910 | 66,661 | 26.0% |
| 1920 | 51,697 | −22.4% |
| 1930 | 60,074 | 16.2% |
| 1940 | 71,481 | 19.0% |
| 1950 | 78,476 | 9.8% |
| 1960 | 81,493 | 3.8% |
| 1970 | 80,364 | −1.4% |
| 1980 | 84,128 | 4.7% |
| 1990 | 80,331 | −4.5% |
| 2000 | 87,700 | 9.2% |
| 2010 | 83,384 | −4.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- St. Landry Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- 1781 Census - List of Foreigners in the District of Opelousas and Attakapas and in New Iberia, May 15, 1781 (St. Landry Parish, LAGenWeb Project)
- Louisiana Census Images, (USGenWeb Census Images Project)
Church[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Louisiana denominations, view the Louisiana Church Records wiki page.
- Louisiana Historical Church Information
- Directory of Churches in Louisiana, by city (Church Angel)
- Calvary Baptist Church Original Land Transaction (USGenWeb Archives)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
- St. Landry Parish Court Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Land[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Louisiana Land and Property for additional information about early Louisiana land ownership. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse where records are also currently housed.
- St. Landry Parish Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Louisiana Local Histories. Louisiana Museums
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
- USGW Digital Map Collection (USGenWeb Archives)
Military[edit | edit source]
- St. Landry Parish Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- Louisiana Military History Online
- 1883 - St. Landry Parish List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 - Louisiana Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Louisiana Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1898-1950 - Louisiana Confederate Pensions, 1898-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Regiments. Service men in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy:
- - 2nd Regiment, Louisiana Cavalry (Confederate), Company A
- - 3rd Regiment, Louisiana Cavalry (Harrison's)(Confederate), Company K
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917-1920 - Louisiana World War I Service Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Louisiana First Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- Index to Louisiana World War II Casualties (St. Landry Parish, LAGenWeb Project)
- St. Landry Parish, Honor List of Dead and Missing Army & Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
- Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
- St. Landry Parish Newspaper Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- St. Landry Parish Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to St. Landry Parish Obituary Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records before 1845 were kept in probate courts. Since 1845, they have been kept by the St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy clerk of the district court. Many of the probate records are included in the notarial records with the deeds and mortgages. In some parishes they are known as “succession” records.
See the Wiki page Louisiana Probate Records for more information about probate records in Louisiana.
Content: Probate records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.
Online Probate Records
- 1756-1984 - Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $
- St. Landry Parish Estates, Wills & Successions (USGenWeb Archives)
Schools[edit | edit source]
- St. Landry Parish School Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Louisiana tax records can be used in place of missing censuses and provide lists of residents during years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see Louisiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Louisiana statewide registration of birth and death records began in 1911. Births and deaths are kept by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. Marriages were recorded by each parish, and the records are at the parish clerk of court office. See also How to order Louisiana Vital Records or order electronically online.
See Louisiana Vital Records for more information on getting Louisiana records.
- Louisiana Records and Statistics Information ~ where and how to order information.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- Index to St. Landry Parish Birth Records by date. (Genealogy Trails)
- St. Landry Parish Baptism Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1771-1891 - Marriages of St. Landry Parish 1772-1891 (LAGenWeb)
- 1837-1957 - Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- St. Landry Parish Marriages (Genealogy Trails)
- St. Landry Parish Marriage Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- St. Landry Parish Death Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
- Imperial St. Landry Genealogical & Historical Society
PO Box 118
Opelousas, LA 70571-0118
Website - Louisiana Historical Society
Website - Louisiana Historical Association
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- St. Landry Parish (LAGenWeb)
- St. Landry Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
- FamilySearch Catalog
- St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
- St. Landry Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Landry Parish, Louisiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Landry_Parish,_Louisiana."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Page 289-293 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 267-268.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed., St Landry Parish, Louisiana p 292 (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Landry Parish, Louisiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Landry_Parish,_Louisiana, accessed 6 January 2020.
