Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Guide to Calcasieu 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 the Atakapa word for crying eagle. The County has Lake Charles as its seat and the County was created March 24, 1840. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Calcasieu Parish Courthouse PO Box 1030 Lake Charles, LA 70602-1030 Phone: 337.437.3550 Parish Clerk has marrige, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1910.

Historical Facts
When Louisiana became a state, the large, sparsely settled area between the Atchafalaya and Sabine rivers was designated St. Landry Parish. As the parish became more populated, settlers began to complain about the long horse or wagon journey they had to make to Opelousas. By 1840, the area had enough settlers that the Louisiana Legislature took note of their complaints and created a new parish out of the southwest corner of St. Landry Parish. The new parish was named Calcasieu in honor of the region's principal river.

The name Calcasieu (pronounced Cal-ca-shoo) comes from the Atakapan word, "quelqueshue", meaning "crying eagle". It was originally the name of an Atakapa chief, but became the name given to what was formerly the Rio Hondo River (Rio Stondo or "Deep River"), now the Calcasieu River. The parish then inherited this name.

This original Calcasieu Parish, known as "Imperial Calcasieu Parish," included most of the five modern parishes of Calcasieu, Cameron, Beauregard, Allen and Jefferson Davis.

Boundary Changes
In 1870, Imperial Calcasieu underwent the first of two reorganizations. On 16 March 1870, Louisiana Gov. Henry Clay Warmoth signed an act providing for the creation of Cameron Parish from land then lying in both Calcasieu and Vermilion parishes.

The May 3, 1912, issue of the American Press reported: "In one of the most representative meetings ever held in the state, as well as one of the most harmonious, it was decided at the parish convention in this city [Lake Charles] last night to divide Imperial Calcasieu parish into four parishes. Amicable agreements were made upon the lines of division."

The divisions were as follows:


 * Part set off for Jefferson Davis Parish 12 June 1912.
 * Part set off for Beauregard Parish 12 Jun 1912.
 * Various parts taken to add to other existing parishes, Rapides 1852, St. Landry 1852, Vermilion 1871, Allen 1912.

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
1910 The parish courthouse, as well as most of downtown Lake Charles, was destroyed by a disastrous fire on April 23. Many of the records of the parish were burned or damaged.

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:

African American

 * African-American Resources for Louisiana - Links to Family History Library and Online Resources
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county

Bible Records

 * Calcasieu Parish Bible Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Biographies

 * Index to Calcasieu Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)

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


 * Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county
 * Cemeteries in or around Calcasieu Louisiana by epodunk.com

Census Information

 * 1840 1840 Census - Text; 1840 Census - Images (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1850 1850 Census - Text (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Census Quick Facts

Church Records

 * Early Churches of Calcasieu Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Church Records (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Current Churches of Calcasieu Parish (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property

 * Calcasieu Parish Land Patent Search
 * Calcasieu Parish Land and Tax Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories

 * A Timeline History of Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana
 * Calcasieu Parish history information (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish places on the National Register of Historic Places
 * On This Day in Southwest Louisiana History
 * Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary - Thomas Rigmaiden, Imperial Calcasieu's first school teacher, kept a diary from 1836 to 1865. The diary entries are a great resource about the people and events of early Calcasieu Parish.
 * Calcasieu Parish History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish LA Historical Records (ldsgenealogy.com)

Maps

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * Family Maps of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 1895 Map of Calcasieu Parish
 * GIS Maps of Calcasieu Parish - Downloadable/printable pdf maps, including cities, political districts, parks and Government buildings.

Military

 * Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883 - Calcasieu Parish Pensioners on the Rolls as of January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1898-1950 - at FamilySearch — images
 * Confederate Pension Applications - The Louisiana Secretary of State's searchable database contains over 49,000 names that were included in pension applications submitted to the Board of Pension Commissioners.

World War I

 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Calcasieu Parish, World War II Casualties, Army and Air Force

Newspapers

 * Lake Charles American Press - Online subscriptions or day passes to the ePaper allow users to search the entire archives.
 * Chronicling America - Calcasieu Parish - Directory of Calcasieu Parish newspapers, Library of Congress website
 * Calcasieu Parish News Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish Newspapers and Obituaries (ldsgenealogy.com)

Obituaries

 * Calcasieu Parish Newspapers and Obituaries (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Calcasieu Parish Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)
 * Calcasieu Parish Obituary Records (USGenWeb Archives)

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

Public Libraries

 * Calcasieu Parish Public Library 411 Pujo St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-721-7110 Genealogy Collections
 * Louisiana Digital Library Online library containing photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, and oral histories that document history and culture
 * McNeese State University Archives and Special Collections

Taxation

 * 1865 Tax Roll

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

Birth
Birth records going back 100 years are housed by the Calcasieu Parish Health Unit. Phone: 337-478-6020.
 * Calcasieu Parish Birth Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish LA Birth Records (ldsgenealogy.com)

Marriage

 * 1837-1957 -  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Calcasieu Parish LA Marriage Records (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Calcasieu County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)
 * Calcasieu Parish Marriage Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Death records - Louisiana Secretary of State - Search the Louisiana death records database and order certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana over 50 years ago. Search by deceased's name, parish or month of death.
 * Calcasieu Parish LA Death Records (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Calcasieu Parish Death Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Societies

 * Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society PO Box 1214 1635 Hodges St. Lake Charles, LA 70601-6016 Website
 * Brimstone Museum and Historical Society 800 Picard Rd Sulphur, LA 70663-4362
 * Starks Historical Society 664 Old River Road Starks, LA 70661
 * Brimstone Historical Society - Sulphur Website
 * Louisiana Historical Society Website
 * The Southwest Louisiana Genealogy Society, Inc. Website
 * Daughters of the American Revolution Louisiana Chapter Locator Website

Websites

 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * FamilySearch Catalog for Calcasieu Parish.
 * Calcasieu Parish LAGenWeb Project, a member of The LAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Calcasieu Parish Marriage Project - transcriptions of marriage applications and other marriage records as recorded in the parish court house and state archives.
 * Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)

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