Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Marquis de la Fayette. The County has Lafayette as its seat and the County was created January 17, 1823. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Lafayette Parish Courthouse PO Box 4508 Lafayette, LA 70502-4508 Phone: 337.291.6400 Parish Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1823.

Parent Parish

 * 1823--Lafayette Parish was created 17 January 1823 from St. Martin and Attakapas, Discontinued 17 Apr 1811, Parishes. Parish seat: Lafayette

Boundary Changes
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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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 county:

Neighboring Parishes or Counties

 * Acadia
 * Iberia
 * St. Landry
 * St. Martin
 * Vermilion

African American

 * Louisiana African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county

Biographies

 * Lafayette Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Lafayette Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on Lafayette Parish cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county

Census

 * Louisiana Census Images (USGenWeb Census Images Project)
 * Index to Lafayette Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church

 * Louisiana Historical Church Information
 * Directory of Churches in Louisiana, by city (Church Angel)

Court

 * Lafayette Parish Court Records (USGenWeb Archives}

Local Histories

 * Louisiana Museums
 * Lafayette Parish History Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * USGW Digital Map Collection (USGenWeb Archives)

Military

 * Louisiana Military History Online
 * Lafayette Parish Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883 - Parishoners on the Roll, Lafayette Parish (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1898-1950 - at FamilySearch — images

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Lafayette Parish:


 * April 17, 1863 = Vermillion Bayou


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Louisiana.

World War I

 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
 * Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
 * Lafayette Parish News Abstracts (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lafayette Parish Newspaper Records (USGenWeb Archvies)

Obituaries

 * Lafayette Parish Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Lafayette Parish Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate
Louisiana Probate Records

Online Probate Records
 * 1756 – 1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $

Vital Records

 * Louisiana Records and Statistics Information ~ where and how to order information.

Birth

 * 1834-1850 - Index to Lafayette Parish Birth Records (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1837–1957 -  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Index to Lafayette Parish Marriage Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lafayette Parish Marriages (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * Index to Lafayette Parish Death Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1870 Mortality Schedule, Lafayette Parish. Persons who died during the year ending 1st June, 1870 in Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana. (Genealogy Trails)

Societies and Libraries

 * Lafayette Genealogical Society 1021 Rosedown Lane Lafayette, LA 70532-5832 Website
 * Attakapas Historical Association PO Box 43010 Usl Lafayette, LA 70504-3010
 * Louisiana Historical Society Website
 * Louisiana Historical Association Website

Family History Centers

 * Lafayette Louisiana Family History Center

Websites

 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, LAGenWeb Project, part of the USGenWeb Project
 * Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, USGenWeb Archives
 * Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lafayette Parish Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lafayette Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Lafayette Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)