Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy
Guide to New Orleans and Orleans Parish, Louisiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
| Orleans Parish, Louisiana | |||||||||
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 Location in the state of Louisiana, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Louisiana in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | April 10, 1805 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | New Orleans | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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| Address | 421 Loyola Avenue New Orleans, LA 70112 | ||||||||
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Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. The County has New Orleans as its seat and the County was created 1718. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[1]
Quick Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1718 | 1914 | 1805 | 1832 | 1805 | 1700s |
Parish Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Orleans Parish Courthouse
421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
Phone: (504) 592-9100
Fax: (504) 592-9128
Chief Deputy: (504) 592-9118
Clerk of Civil District Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1805.
Public Library has voter registration records, 1895-1941, city directories from 1805, and precinct books 1895-1952.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
New Orleans was founded about 1718 by Jean-Baptiste LeMoyne, Sieur de Bienville, then governor of the French Louisiana colony, who named the settlement for Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans, then regent of France. In 1722 the town was made the capital of the colony. Following the partition of Louisiana between England and Spain in 1762-1763, New Orleans (called Nouvelle-Orléans) became the capital of Spanish Louisiana. The French citizens revolted against Spain and expelled the Spanish governor in 1768. The revolt was short-lived, however, and a show of force in 1769 reestablished Spanish rule. New Orleans was ceded secretly to France in 1800, and in the space of only twenty days (November 30-December 20, 1803) it was formally ceded first to France and then, by the terms of the Louisana Purchase, to the United States. Under American enterprise, development of the city was rapid.
Parent Parish[edit | edit source]
Orleans Parish was created 10 April 1805 as an original parish.
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:[4]
| Cities | ||
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- Slave and Free People of Color Baptismal Records in the Archives 1777-1801, available online, courtesy: Office of Archives: Archdiocese of New Orleans.[5]
- Louisiana, New Orleans, Slave Manifests of Coastwise Vessels, 1807-1860 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection — index and images; also at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- Blassingame, John W. Black New Orleans, 1860-1880. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, [1973]. - xvii, 301 p. ill. Bibliography: p. 275-292 F378.N59 B42
- Louisiana African American Griots Project
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Bible[edit | edit source]
- Orleans Parish Bible Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Biography[edit | edit source]
- Index to Orleans Parish Biographies, A-M (USGenWeb Archives)
- Index to Orleans Parish Biographies, N-Z (USGenWeb Archives)
- Index to Orleans Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on Orleans Parish cemeteries.
- Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1810 | 17,242 | — |
| 1820 | 27,176 | 57.6% |
| 1830 | 46,082 | 69.6% |
| 1840 | 102,193 | 121.8% |
| 1850 | 116,375 | 13.9% |
| 1860 | 168,675 | 44.9% |
| 1870 | 191,418 | 13.5% |
| 1880 | 216,090 | 12.9% |
| 1890 | 242,039 | 12.0% |
| 1900 | 287,104 | 18.6% |
| 1910 | 339,075 | 18.1% |
| 1920 | 387,219 | 14.2% |
| 1930 | 458,762 | 18.5% |
| 1940 | 494,537 | 7.8% |
| 1950 | 570,445 | 15.3% |
| 1960 | 627,525 | 10.0% |
| 1970 | 593,471 | −5.4% |
| 1980 | 557,515 | −6.1% |
| 1990 | 496,938 | −10.9% |
| 2000 | 484,674 | −2.5% |
| 2010 | 343,829 | −29.1% |
| Source:"Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1850 Orleans Parish 1850 Mortality Schedule
- Orleans Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- 82 Census Links For Orleans Parish
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.
- Orleans Parish Genealogy - Churches
- New Orleans Churches.com, an historical photo album of historic places of worship in the New Orleans area.
- German Churches of New Orleans - an inventory of records
- Church Records of Orleans Parish (Genealogy Trails)
- Church Records of Orleans Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
Catholic[edit | edit source]
Episcopal[edit | edit source]
Mt. Olivet Church, Algiers
Baptism
- 1857-1937 - Mt. Olivet Church, Algiers, Baptism Index 1857-1937. Batch C726201 at FamilySearch - free.[6]
Marriage
- 1858-1905 - Mt. Olivet Church, Algiers, Marriage Index 1858-1905. Batch M726201 at FamilySearch - free.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
- Digging Up Roots in the Mud Files: Sources for Family History Research in the Orleans Parish Civil Court Records
- Finding Aids, Inventories and Indexes for Orleans Parish Civil & Criminal Courts
- Orleans Parish Court Records (USGenWeb Archives)
A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:
Louisiana, Orleans Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Fold3.com ($) has New Orleans City Directories 1861 and 1866-1923 (3 yrs. missing) available online.
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1807-1860 Louisiana, New Orleans, Slave Manifests of Coastwise Vessels, 1807-1860 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
- 1853-1952 Louisiana, New Orleans Index to Passenger Lists, 1853-1952 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1871 Louisiana, New Orleans Passenger Departures, 1867-1871 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
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.
Registrar of Conveyances
1340 Poydras Street
4th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: (504) 592-9170
Fax: (504) 523-4320
Email: daleatk@orleanscdc.com
Registrar of Conveyances has records of all transfers of real estate dating back to 1827.
- Guide to Genealogical Materials in the New Orleans Public Library's Louisiana Division & City Archives - Land records
- Interactive Search of Louisiana Land Records - interface to the pre-1908 Homestead and Cash Entry Patents from the Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office Automated Records Project
- New Orleans Notarial Archives - government agency that files and maintains land records and other contracts recorded in Orleans Parish.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Orleans 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.
- The Historical Marker Database: Orleans Parish Markers - Photos, inscriptions and maps of historical markers in Orleans Parish
- History.com: New Orleans
- LouisianaTravel.com: Historical stories of Louisiana
- Navy History and Heritage: Orleans Parish
- Orleans Parish History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this parish - How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
- Louisiana Parish Maps on Censusfinder.com - links to map of 1788 New Orleans Fire; 1798 plan of the City of New Orleans showing plantation ownership; 1819 map of New Orleans showing plantation owners; 1908 and 1924 New Orleans maps; Orleans Parish Cemetery maps.
- USGenWeb Archives Project - Maps of Orleans Parish
- Linkpendium - Orleans Parish Maps and Gazetteers
- zipmap.net- Google Map with an overlay of Zip Codes for Orleans Parish
Military[edit | edit source]
- Guide to Genealogical Records in the New Orleans Public Library's Louisiana Division & City Archives - Military Records
- Linkpendium - Orleans Parish Military Records and Histories
- USGenWeb Archives Project - Orleans Parish War and Military Records
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 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 Orleans 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 Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy:
Confederate:
- - 1st Regular Battery, Louisiana Artillery
- - 4th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry
- - 5th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry
- - 12th Battalion, Louisiana Heavy Artillery, Companies A and B
- - 14th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry
- - Consolidated Crescent Regiment, Louisiana Infantry
- - Fenner's Battery, Louisiana Light Artillery
- - Green's Company, Louisiana Artillery (Louisiana Guard Battery)
- - Hutton's Company, Louisiana Artillery (Crescent Artillery Company A)
- - Miles' Legion, Louisiana Volunteers (Confederate) Company A
- - Siege Train Battalion, Louisiana Artillery, Company C
- - Watson Battery, Louisiana Artillery
- - Holmes' Battery, Louisiana Light Artillery
- - Washington Battalion, Louisiana Artillery, 1st Company, 2nd Company, 3rd Company, 4th Company, 5th Company and 6th Company.
Union:
- - 14th Regiment, Maine Infantry, Companies B, C and H.
Civil War Battle[edit | edit source]
The following Civil War battle was fought in Orleans Parish:
- April 25–May 1, 1862 = New Orleans[7]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Louisiana.
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
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- New Orleans Times Picayune
- Marriage index in Daily Picayune, 1837-1857 at the [http://archives.nolalibrary.org/~nopl/welcome.html New Orleans Public Library
- Times Picayune Orleans Parish Obit Index (USGenWeb Archives)
- Chronicling America - Orleans Parish - Directory of Orleans Parish newspapers, Library of Congress website. The site allows you to search and view newspaper pages from 1860-1922 and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
- Louisiana Biography & Obituary Index If you do not live near Jefferson Parish, where you can easily access the obituaries from this collection at the Jefferson Parish Library, you can use GenealogyBank (paid site). You need to be aware that their index will not find very many Obituaries. Using this index you can find the date, page and column of the obituary you are looking for and then, using GenealogyBank, access the online obituary. Combining these two great assets you will have access to all of your obituaries.
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records before 1845 were kept in probate courts. Since 1845, they have been kept by the Orleans 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.
- General Index of all Orleans Parish Successions, 1805-1846 - (New Orleans Public Library City Archives)
- Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files, 1804-1846 has a name index and images of probate estate files. Each estate file consists of multiple images.The event date is the probate date.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1756 – 1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $
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 Vital Records
1450 Poydras Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113
Information: (504) 593-5100
Marriage Licenses: (504) 593-5116
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Orleans Parish began keeping marriage records in 1718. The original Orleans parish marriage records are at the Office of Public Health. Louisiana statewide registration of birth and death records began in 1911. Births and deaths are kept by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. See Louisiana Vital Records for more information on getting Louisiana records.
- 1900-1964 Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records, 1900-1964 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1819-1906 Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1718-1925 Louisiana, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925 at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1720-1733 The New Orleans French at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1728-1850 Louisiana, Compiled Marriages at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1781-1943 United States Marriages, Louisiana at Findmypast ($)
- 1831-1964 New Orleans, Louisiana, Marriage Records Index at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1837–1957 Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1846-1880 New Orleans Justices of the Peace Index to Marriage Records at the New Orleans Public Library
- 1851-1900 Louisiana, Compiled Marriage Records at Ancestry.com ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1600s-2017 United States Obituary Notices at Findmypast ($)
- 1804-1949 New Orleans, Louisiana, Death Records Index at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1804-1966 Louisiana Death Index at Louisiana State Archives
- 1812-1970 Louisiana, Tombstone Inscriptions, 1812-1970 at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1819-1964 Louisiana Statewide Death Index< at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1835-1954 Louisiana, Orleans Parish Death Records and Certificates, 1835-1954 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
- 1850-1875, 1894-1960 Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1905 Southwest Louisiana, U.S., Death Index at Ancestry.com ($)
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1905 Louisiana, Orleans and St. Tammany Parish, Voter Registration Records, 1867-1905 at FamilySearch — - How to Use this Collection
Unsorted[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb Archives Project Yellow Fever Death Records - Lists of Interments in New Orleans cemeteries, 1828-1878
- Louisiana Vital Records - Searchable databases to help locate records maintained by the Louisiana Secretary of State (Louisiana death records, Orleans Parish birth records and Orleans Parish marriage records)
- Vital Records Registry, Louisiana - For information on Louisiana birth records (less than 100 years old), death records (less than 50 years old), and Orleans Parish marriage records (less than 50 years old).
A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:
Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Genealogical Research Society Of New Orleans
PO Box 51791
New Orleans, LA 70151
Website - Genealogy West
5644 Abbey Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70130-3808 - Multicutural Genealogical Society
4310 St. Anthony Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122-310 - Algiers Historical Society
Email: cockney@bellsouth.net
The organization is devoted to researching the history of Algiers and its people. - The Jewish Genealogical Society (JGS) of New Orleans
Website
The JGS is a non-profit organization for those who desire to research their Jewish roots in Louisiana and worldwide. - La Creole Research Association
Website
A New Orleans based non-profit family research organization dedicated to the study of the history and culture of the Creoles of Color of Louisiana through ancestral research, education, and celebration. - Louisiana Historical Society
428 Hector Ave
Metairie, La. 70005-4412
Website - Louisiana Historical Association
101 LSU Student Union
LSU Box 25435
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Facebook
Website
Libraries[edit | edit source]
- Libraries, Museums and Archives Links on Linkpendium
- Guide to Genealogical Materials in the New Orleans Public Library's Louisiana Division & City Archives
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- 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 Affiliate Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Family History 101 - History, records, facts, genealogy and ancestry links
- Orleans Parish Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Orleans Parish Genealogy on Genealogylinks.net
- Orleans Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
- ePodunk - Orleans Parish Ancestry and Family History
- Orleans Parish Genealogy (Louisiana Genealogy)
- Orleans Parish Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
- Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records
- Louisiana, New Orleans Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records
- Louisiana, Orleans Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
Thanks to the Orleans Parish Contributors
[edit | edit source]
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References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Orleans, Louisiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Orleans 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.Orleans Parish, Louisiana p291 (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "New Orleans," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans, accessed 6 January 2020.
- ↑ Dick Eastman, "New Orleans Archdiocese Publishes Online Baptism, Marriage Records of Slaves," Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, 1 February 2011.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/c/c2/Igilouisiana.pdf.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State