DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Guide to DeSoto Parish, Louisiana ancestry, family history, and 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

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

 * 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

 * 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

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * Family Maps of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * USGW Digital Map Collection ~  USGenWeb Project

Military
Louisiana Military History Online

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1898-1950 - at FamilySearch — images

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.

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

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

Probate
Louisiana Probate Records ~  information on.

Online Probate Records
 * 1756 – 1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry.com Ancestry.com — index and images $

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

Marriage

 * 1837–1957 -  at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Desoto Historical Society PO Box 447 Mansfield 71052-0447

Desoto Historical Society PO Box 300 Stonewall, LA 71078-0300 Website

See also a List of Louisiana Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies


 * Louisiana Historical Society
 * Louisiana Historical Association

Web Sites

 * DeSoto Parish, LA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * LAGenWeb -  Louisiana State Records
 * USGenWeb ~  Records, Maps, Archives and Other Projects
 * Louisiana Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project * FamilySearch 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)