DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

United States   Louisiana    DeSoto Parish

Guide to DeSoto Parish Louisiana genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Parish Courthouse
DeSoto Parish Courthouse Parish Courthouse Mansfield, LA 71052 Phone: 318.872.3110 Parish Clerk has marriage and land records from 1843, divorce, probate and court records.

Quick Facts

 * Named for Hernando deSoto (small "d"), the Spaniard who explored the future southeastern United States, discovered and named the Mississippi River.
 * The first Parish courthouse was a log house.

Parent Parish

 * 1 April 1843: DeSoto Parish was created from Natchitoches and Caddo Parishes. Parish seat: Mansfield

Boundary Changes

 * Eastern part of the parish was set off 2 March 1871 to form Red River Parish


 * See an interactive map of DeSoto Parish boundary changes. (map also shows parish boundaries for census years)

Populated Places

 * City: Mansfield
 * Towns: Keachi . Logansport . Stonewall
 * Villages: Grand Cane . Longstreet . South Mansfield . Stanley

Neighboring Parishes or Counties

 * Caddo
 * Natchitoches
 * Panola County, Texas
 * Red River
 * Sabine
 * Shelby County, Texas

African American

 * Louisiana African American Griots Project ~  USGenWeb Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy

Cemeteries

 * DeSoto Parish LA. Cemeteries - LAGenWeb
 * Click here to check out Trish Cannon website for cemetery lists.
 * LA Tombstone Transcription Project ~  partial records and photos  ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Interment.net ~ LA cemetery records by county
 * African American Cemeteries ~  listing by county
 * FindaGrave.com ~  cemetery records with search by cemetery, by surname

Census

 * Louisiana Census Images  ~  USGenWeb Census Images Project

Church

 * Louisiana Historical Church Information
 * Directory of Churches in Louisiana ~  by city  ~  Church Angel

Local Histories
Louisiana Museums

Maps

 * Family Maps of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * USGW Digital Map Collection ~  USGenWeb Project

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in DeSoto Parish.


 * April 8, 1864 = Mansfield, also known as Sabine Cross-Roads or Pleasant Grove
 * April 9, 1864 = Pleasant Hill


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Louisiana.

Louisiana Military History Online

Newspapers

 * Louisiana Newspaper List ~  listing by name/parish  ~  USNPL
 * Louisiana Newspaper ~ listing  ~  Newslink

Probate
Louisiana Probate Records ~  information on.

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

Societies and Libraries

 * Louisiana Historical Society
 * Louisiana Historical Association

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * LAGenWeb -  Louisiana State Records
 * USGenWeb ~  Records, Maps, Archives and Other Projects
 * Louisiana Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project * Family History Library Catalog for DeSoto Parish.
 * The DeSoto Parish LAGenWeb Project, an member of The LAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)