Ascension Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Guide to Ascension 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 Ascension of Our Lord Church in Donaldsonville. The County has Donaldsonville as its seat and the County was created 1807. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Ascension Parish Courthouse Houmas Street PO Box 192 Donaldsonville, LA 70346 Phone: 225.773.9866 Parish Clerk has marriage records from 1763, divorce, probate and court records from 1800 and land records from 1770 Allen Parish Courthouse PO Box G Oberlin, LA 70655-2007 Phone: 337.639.2803  Parish Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1913.

Quick Dates
Ascension Parish's civil records start the following years:

Parent Parish

 * 1807--Ascension Parish was created 31 March 1807 from St. James Parish. Parish seat: Donaldsonville
 * (book) The story of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, by Sidney A. Marchand, printed by J E Ortlieb Print. Co.
 * page 7, The history of the parish, both French and Spanish. this information will help people who are researching to know whether to look for Spanish, French, or Acadian (Nova Scotia) records for their family histories"
 * page 87 explains where records can be found

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

 * Assumption
 * East Baton Rouge
 * Iberville
 * Livingston
 * St. James
 * St. John the Baptist

African American

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

Biographies

 * Index of Ascension Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Ascension Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)

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


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

Census

 * Louisiana Census Images (USGenWeb Census Images Project)
 * 1810, 1830 Census (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1810 Head of Families
 * 1810 US Census
 * 1810, 1820, 1830 U.S. Census, Ascension Parish, Louisiana (book)
 * 1830 Enumeration Census
 * 1840 Ascension Parish, Louisiana, census index by Frances Terry Ingmire (book)
 * 1840 census index, Donaldsonville Parish, Louisiana by Frances Terry Ingmire (book)
 * Census population schedules, 1840, Louisiana United States Census Office (microfilm)
 * Census of Louisiana, 1850 United States Census Office (microfilm)
 * 1850 Mortality Schedule, Ascension Parish (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1860 census, Ascension Parish, Louisiana by Audrey B Westerman (book)
 * Ascension Parish census, 1870 &amp; 1890. Baton Rouge, La. : Archives and Records Service, 1971. (book)
 * Ascension Parish, Louisiana, 1890 U.S. census by Rita Babin Butler (book)

Church

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

Court

 * Criminal Matters from the Donaldsonville Chief 1915
 * Livingston's Law Register 1851

Ethnic

 * Records of the field offices for the State of Louisiana, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1863-1872 Reel 0071
 * Records of the field offices for the State of Louisiana, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1863-1872 Reel 0072
 * Records of the field offices for the State of Louisiana, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1863-1872 Reel 0073

Land

 * 1770-1957 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories

 * Louisiana Museums
 * Louisiana Surnames

Maps

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * USGW Digital Map Collection (USGenWeb Project)
 * 1895 Ascension Parish Map

Military

 * Louisiana Military History Online

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1898-1950 - at FamilySearch — images
 * Company K, 8th Louisiana Infantry
 * Donaldsonville - Taylor's Operations in West Louisiana (1863)
 * Ascension Parish Louisiana List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883
 * Donaldsonville - Operations Against Baton Rouge (1862)

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in Ascension Parish:


 * August 9, 1862 = Donaldsonville I
 * November 28, 1862 = Kock's Plantation, also known as Cox's Plantation
 * June 28, 1863 = Donaldsonville II


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Arkansas.

World War I

 * 1917-1918 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Korean War

 * Korean War POWs, MIAs and KIAs (USGenWeb Archives)

Vietnam War

 * Vietnam War POWs, MIAs and KIAs (USGenWeb Archives)

Newspapers

 * Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
 * Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
 * Ascension Parish News Records (excerpts) (USGenWeb Archives)

Obituaries

 * Index to Obituary Notices, Ascension Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Ascension Parish Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Probate and Court Records
Louisiana Probate Records


 * Ascension Parish Louisiana, civil records, 1770-1804 by E L Behrman

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.


 * Various Ascension Parish Vital Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Marriage

 * 1767-1899 - Early Ascension Parish, Louisiana marriage index, 1767-1899 by Nicholas Russell Murray, et al
 * 1768-1899 - Ascension Parish, Louisiana, 1768-1899 : computer indexed marriage records by Nicholas Russell Murray, et al
 * 1773-1963 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1957 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Ascension Parish Marriage Records (Genealogy Trails)
 * Ascension Parish Marriage Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Ascension Parish Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries

 * Ascension Heritage Association PO Box 1085 Donaldsonville 70346-1085
 * East Ascension Genealogical And Historical Society PO Box 1006 Gonzales 70707-1006
 * Louisiana Historical Society Website
 * Louisiana Historical Association Website

Family History Centers

 * Gonzales Louisiana Family History Center

Websites

 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Ascension Parish, Louisiana, LAGenWeb Project
 * Ascension Parish, Lousiana, USGenWeb Archives
 * Ascension Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Ascension Parish Message Board
 * Genealogy Trails: Ascension Parish, Louisiana
 * Ascension Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Ascension Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)