Louisiana Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Louisiana

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of a name index and images of Louisiana deaths. The statewide records for all parishes cover 1911-1959. Coverage outside these dates for individual parishes varies. This collection does not include records for deaths from 1875-1893 and has only a few entries for 1894-1904. Death records for 1850-1875 are for Jefferson Parish only. Certified copies of certificates can be ordered from the Louisiana State records website

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Information that may be found in the Louisiana Death Records, depending on the time period, include:


 * Full name
 * Place and date of death
 * Age and birthplace (city or town, state or foreign country)
 * Marital status and sometimes name of spouse
 * Date of birth
 * Sex
 * Race
 * Names and birthplaces of parents
 * Occupation
 * Place and date of burial
 * Cause of Death
 * Name of informant
 * Social Security number (later records)
 * If veteran, name of war (later records)
 * Length of stay in community (later records)
 * If the deceased is a citizen of a foreign county, the name of the country (later records)

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection, it is helpful to know: •        Name of the individual •        Approximate year of death

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Use the information found in the record to locate the death record.
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to determine an approximate birth date to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records were kept years before counties began keeping records. They are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

An index to the Orleans parish death records beginning in 1804 can be found at The USGenWeb Archives Project: Louisiana, Orleans Parish. An index to these records and the Orleans parish death records is available at the Louisiana Government website.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Check the info box above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records.

Related Collection
The New Orleans Public Library, has acquired the Louisiana Biography and Obituary Index references obituaries and death notices published in New Orleans newspapers from 1804-1972 and biographical information published in older Louisiana collective biographies. The original index, housed in the Louisiana Division of New Orleans Public Library, is an alphabetical card file of more than 650,000 names. This information can be accessed by following these steps:


 * Go to New Orleans Public Library
 * Click on City Archives and Special Collections
 * Scroll down to Genealogy
 * Click on Louisiana Biography and Obituary Index
 * Click on the large red words 'Search the Index'
 * Enter a name

If you only enter a surname you get every result for that surname. Also, if you only enter the surname married women who were born as that surname may also come up, if the obituary gave her maiden name.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Top of Page