Louisiana, Orleans Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The records includes civil case files from the Parish Court, 1822-1840; Commercial Court, 1839-1846, First Judicial District Court, 1839-1842; Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Judicial Court, 1846-1880 and the Sixth and Seventh Judicial District Courts, 1854-1880. This collection is being published as images become available.

Record Content
Information found in this collection may include:


 * Name
 * Death or recording date
 * Death or recording place
 * Name of administrator

Records may also contain the following:


 * Names of heirs or other family members
 * Witnesses
 * Guardians
 * Relationships
 * Residences
 * Property descriptions
 * Inventory of the estate

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


 * The place of residence
 * The approximate death or probate date
 * The name of the deceased

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select "Court" category ⇒Select "Volume Title and Date Range" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image 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 names along with the residence to locate census, church, and land records.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment or military records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The information in the records may give clues to, or the names of relatives. *You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the primary individual; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * 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 the records is usually reliable, but can occasionally be subject to errors by the transcriber.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after 1900.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

General Information About These Records
Between 1846 and 1880, New Orleans had a system of nine numbered district courts. Despite their name, these district courts weren't divided by geographical location; each district covered the entire Orleans Parish. After 1853, however, each court handled civil mattersuits of a specific type:


 * First District Court -- Criminal Jurisdiction
 * Second District Court -- Probate Matters
 * Third District Court -- Family Matters
 * Fourth/Fifth District Court -- General Civil Jurisdiction
 * Sixth District Court -- Cases Pending in the City of Lafayette/General Civil Jurisdiction
 * Seventh District Court -- Possibly shared Family Matters with Third District Court
 * Eighth District Court -- Disputed Election Cases during the Reconstruction
 * Superior District Court -- Tax-related Cases

Related Websites
Guide to Genealogical Materials, Appendix D: The New Orleans Parish Court System

Related Wiki Articles

 * Louisiana Court Records
 * Louisiana Probate Records
 * Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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