Louisiana, Orleans Parish Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index and images of birth, marriage, and death records from the Louisiana State Archives. Coverage varies by parish and date range.

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

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, 1900-1964 collection can be viewed through the following means:


 * 1) Images can be viewed by members of 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 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.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth
 * 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

Marriage
 * 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

Death
 * 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 Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The date of the event or the name of a parent or spouse

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County
 * 2) Select the Record Type, Date Range, and Volume to view the images.

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. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death
 * 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 census records

I Can’t Find the Person 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
 * 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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Louisiana.
 * Louisiana Guided Research
 * Louisiana Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.