The first explorers to come to Louisiana were Spanish. They came to the area in the 1500s, beginning in 1519 with Alvarez Pineda. In 1528, Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca followed. Then, in 1541, the area was explored by Hernando de Soto. More than 100 years later, in 1682, the area was claimed for Louis XIV of France by Sieur de la Salle.

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The State of Louisiana was named by the French explorer Sieur de La Salle in 1682 to honor King Louis XIV of France. The State Nickname is “Sportsman’s Paradise” (formally Pelican State). The State Motto is “Union, Justice, and Confidence ” .

Louisiana Parishes – The the Louisiana Territory, was organized on March 26, 1804. The State of Louisiana was created as the 18th state on April 30, 1812. Louisiana borders Arkansas, Mississippi and  Texas.  It has 64 Parishes. The Louisiana State capital is Baton Rouge and the official state website is http://louisiana.gov/.

Select a Louisiana Parish to view information & records pertaining to each Parish

Acadia ∣ Allen ∣ Ascension ∣ Assumption ∣ Avoyelles ∣ Beauregard ∣ Bienville ∣ Bossier ∣ Caddo ∣ Calcasieu ∣ Caldwell ∣ Cameron ∣ Catahoula ∣ Claiborne ∣ Concordia ∣ De Soto ∣ East Baton Rouge ∣ East Carroll ∣ East Feliciana ∣ Evangeline ∣ Franklin ∣ Grant ∣ Iberia ∣ Iberville ∣ Jackson ∣ Jefferson ∣ Jefferson Davis ∣ La Salle ∣ Lafayette ∣ Lafourche ∣ Lincoln ∣ Livingston ∣ Madison ∣ Morehouse ∣ Natchitoches ∣ Orleans ∣ Ouachita ∣ Plaquemines ∣ Pointe Coupee ∣ Rapides ∣ Red River ∣ Richland ∣ Sabine ∣ St. Bernard ∣ St. Charles ∣ St. Helena ∣ St. James ∣ St. John the Baptist ∣ St. Landry ∣ St. Martin ∣ St. Mary ∣ St. Tammany ∣ Tangipahoa ∣ Tensas ∣ Terrebonne ∣ Union ∣ Vermilion ∣ Vernon ∣ Washington ∣ Webster ∣ West Baton Rouge ∣ West Carroll ∣ West Feliciana ∣ Winn

Louisiana Genealogy Record Guides

Louisiana Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies
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Louisiana Archives & Societies
Louisiana Atlases & Maps
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Louisiana Atlases & Maps
Louisiana Census Records