Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes records available online to all FamilySearch.org patrons at no cost. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians.

Due to contractual provisions with the Louisiana State Archives, FamilySearch has revised access to the Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records collection online to meet the following guidelines. Images for the Louisiana, Orleans Parish vital Records, 1910-1960 collection can be viewed through the following means:

1. Images can be viewed by members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by signing into the website using a member account. 2. Users with public accounts will be redirected to our partnership site at the Louisiana State Archives (create hyperlink here) where image access is fee-based. Viewing fees help the archive fund the preservation and access of valuable records and ensure that research facilities are maintained. 3. An extensive list of microfilms are also available for the Orleans Parish Vital Records. They can be ordered via Online Film Ordering in most parts of the world. The films can also be viewed in-person at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. 4. Images from the collection cannot be printed or downloaded by any viewers.

Record Description
This collection includes birth records and index for 1910. It also includes marriage and death records and indexes for 1960.

Orleans Parish began keeping birth records in 1790, death records in 1804, and marriage records in 1834. Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1914 and delayed registration of births in 1939. There is no statewide registration of marriages.

For a list of records by date and event currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

The collection covers the years 1910 and 1960.

These records were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests.

These records are generally reliable but can vary depending on the knowledge of the informant.

Citation for This Collection

The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in the birth records usually contain the following information:
 * Date and place of birth
 * Child’s name
 * Child’s gender and race
 * Father's name, age and occupation
 * Mother's maiden name, age and occupation
 * Parents' nativity
 * Parents' residence
 * Date of declaration of birth
 * Name and address of person reporting the birth

The key genealogical facts found in the marriage records contain the following information:
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Full name of groom
 * Groom's birth date and place of birth
 * Groom's current residence, occupation and race
 * Names of groom's parents, including mother's maiden name
 * Parents' birth place
 * Full name of bride
 * Bride's birth date and place of birth
 * Bride's current residence, occupation and race
 * Names of bride's parents, including mother's maiden name
 * Number of marriages for bride and groom
 * Court where legal proceedings of any divorce were finalized
 * Officiator at marriage
 * Names of witnesses

The key genealogical facts found in the death records usually contain the following information:
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Death date and place
 * Date and place of birth of deceased
 * Gender, race and marital state of deceased
 * Current residence of deceased
 * Name of parents, including mother's maiden name
 * Parents' birthplace
 * Cause of death
 * Name and address of person reporting the death
 * Place of burial

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The county where the birth, marriage, or death occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The place the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom, the infant, or the deceased

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the appropriate "County" ⇒ Select the appropriate "Record Type, Date Range and Volume" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Use the occupations listed to search for employment records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * Use a marriage number to identify previous marriages.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information in marriage records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one marriage record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search for the marriage record of the marriage partner if known.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites

 * Louisiana Vital Records Information for Parishes (M-O)
 * Orleans Parish Genealogy
 * Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Related Wiki Articles

 * Orleans Parish, Louisiana
 * Louisiana Vital Records
 * Louisiana Vital Records Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records, 1910-1960," images, ‘’FamilySearch’’ (https://familysearch.org: accessed 27 March 2012), Orleans Parish &gt; Marriage certificates, 1960, no. 4751-5023 &gt; image 1 of 5045, Larry Alvin Guidry and Barbara Ann Vance, 14 December 1960; citing Louisiana State Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States.