Orleans Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Guide to Orleans Parish, Louisiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Orleans Parish was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans and was created in 1718. The parish seat is New Orleans and is located in the southeast area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Orleans Parish Courthouse 1340 Poydras St. New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: 504-407-0106 Orleans Parish Courthouse 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.

Populated Places
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 parish:

Bible Records

 * Orleans Parish Bible Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Biographies

 * 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)
 * 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

Cemeteries

 * 1805-1944 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Census Records

 * 1850 Orleans Parish 1850 Mortality Schedule
 * Orleans Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records

 * Orleans Parish Genealogy, list of Churches
 * New Orleans Churches.com, an historical photo album of historic places of worship in the New Orleans area.
 * Church Records of Orleans Parish (Genealogy Trails)
 * Church Records of Orleans Parish (USGenWeb Archives)

 Catholic
 * List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans (Wikipedia)

 Episcopal
 * Mt. Olivet Church, Algiers
 * Marriage
 * 1858-1905 Mt. Olivet Church, Algiers, Marriage Index 1858-1905. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

German Churches
 * German Churches of New Orleans - an inventory of records

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 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 &amp; Criminal Courts
 * Orleans Parish Court Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Louisiana, Orleans Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Directories

 * 1749-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866-1923 New Orleans City Directories, 1861 and 1866-1923 at Fold3.com ($) - 3 yrs. missing

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1807-1860 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection — index and images; also at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1853-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1867-1871 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * Slave and Free People of Color Baptismal Records in the Archives 1777-1801, available online, courtesy: Office of Archives: Archdiocese of New Orleans.
 * 1807-1860 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection — index and images; also at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * Louisiana African American Griots Project
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by parish

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 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 &amp; 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

 * 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 and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * USGenWeb Archives Project - Maps of Orleans Parish
 * Linkpendium - Orleans Parish Maps and Gazetteers
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this parish - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Guide to Genealogical Records in the New Orleans Public Library's Louisiana Division &amp; City Archives - Military Records
 * Linkpendium - Orleans Parish Military Records and Histories
 * USGenWeb Archives Project - Orleans Parish War and Military Records

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images at Partner Site
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images at Partner Site
 * 1898-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Regiments. Civil War service men in Orleans Parish served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their parish. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this parish: 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 Battles: The following Civil War battle was fought in Orleans Parish:
 * April 25–May 1, 1862 - New Orleans
 * Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name

World War I
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * New Orleans Times Picayune
 * 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.

Obituaries

 * Times Picayune Orleans Parish Obit Index (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Louisiana Biography &amp; Obituary Index

Voting Records

 * 1867-1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1756-1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1804-1846 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1805-1846 General Index of all Orleans Parish Successions, 1805-1846 (New Orleans Public Library City Archives)
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Social Security Records

 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * Orleans Parish Assessor

Vital 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).

Birth

 * 1819-1906 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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)

Marriage

 * 1718-1925 Louisiana, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1720-1733 The New  Orleans French  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1728-1850 Louisiana, Compiled Marriages  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1781-1943 United States Marriages, Louisiana at Findmypast ($)
 * 1831-1964 New Orleans, Louisiana, Marriage Records Index  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1837-1857 Marriage index in Daily Picayune, 1837-1857 at the New Orleans Public Library
 * 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1846-1880 New Orleans Justices of the Peace Index to Marriage Records at the New Orleans Public Library
 * 1851-1900  Louisiana, Compiled Marriage Records at Ancestry ($)
 * 1900-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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)

Death

 * 1600s-2017 United States Obituary Notices at Findmypast ($)
 * 1804-1949 New Orleans, Louisiana, Death Records Index  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1804-1966 Louisiana Death Index at Louisiana State Archives
 * 1812-1970 Louisiana, Tombstone Inscriptions, 1812-1970  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1819-1964 Louisiana Statewide Death Index  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1835-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1905 Southwest Louisiana, U.S., Death Index  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1900-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Gonzales Louisiana FamilySearch Center
 * New Orleans Louisiana FamilySearch Center
 * Thibodaux Louisiana FamilySearch Center
 * Terrebonne Parish Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Libraries, Museums and Archives Links on Linkpendium
 * Website


 * Guide to Genealogical Materials in the New Orleans Public Library's Louisiana Division &amp; City Archives
 * Website

Societies

 * 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: [mailto:cockney@bellsouth.net 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 Website

Websites

 * Orleans, Louisiana Genealogy & History Network
 * Orleans GenWeb, LA GenWeb
 * Orleans Parish Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Orleans Parish Genealogy on Genealogylinks.net
 * Orleans Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Orleans Parish Genealogy (Louisiana Genealogy)
 * Orleans Parish Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.