List of parishes in Louisiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The U.S. state of Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes in the same way that 48 of the other states of the United States are divided into counties (Alaska is divided into boroughs and census areas).
Louisiana was formed from French and Spanish colonies, which were both officially Roman Catholic. Consequently, local government was based upon parishes, as the local ecclesiastical division. Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the Territorial Legislative Council divided Orleans Territory (the predecessor of Louisiana state) into twelve counties. The borders of these counties were poorly defined, but they roughly coincided with the colonial parishes, and hence used the same names.[1]
On March 31, 1807, the territorial legislature divided the state into 19 parishes, without getting rid of the old counties (which continued to exist until 1845).[2]
In 1811, a constitutional convention was held to prepare for Louisiana's admission into the Union.[3] This organized the state into seven judicial districts, each consisting of groups of parishes. In 1816, the first official map of the state used the term, as did the 1845 constitution. Since then, the official term for Louisiana's primary civil divisions has been parishes.
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[edit] Listing
| Parish name | FIPS code | Parish seat | Formed | Origin | Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Parish | 001 | Crowley | 1886 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | 1,703 km² (658 mi²) |
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| Allen Parish | 003 | Oberlin | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | 1,983 km² (766 mi²) |
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| Ascension Parish | 005 | Donaldsonville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 784 km² (303 mi²) |
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| Assumption Parish | 007 | Napoleonville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 944 km² (365 mi²) |
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| Avoyelles Parish | 009 | Marksville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 2,242 km² (866 mi²) |
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| Beauregard Parish | 011 | DeRidder | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | 3,020 km² (1,166 mi²) |
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| Bienville Parish | 013 | Arcadia | 1848 | from part of Claiborne Parish. | 2,128 km² (822 mi²) |
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| Bossier Parish | 015 | Benton | 1843 | from part Claiborne Parish. | 2,245 km² (867 mi²) |
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| Caddo Parish | 017 | Shreveport | 1838 | from part of Natchitoches Parish. | 2,427 km² (937 mi²) |
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| Calcasieu Parish | 019 | Lake Charles | 1840 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | 2,834 km² (1,094 mi²) |
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| Caldwell Parish | 021 | Columbia | 1838 | from part of Catahoula Parish and Ouachita Parish. | 1,400 km² (541 mi²) |
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| Cameron Parish | 023 | Cameron | 1870 | from parts of Calcasieu Parish and Vermilion Parish. | 5,003 km² (1,932 mi²) |
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| Catahoula Parish | 025 | Harrisonburg | 1808 | from parts of Ouachita Parish and Rapides Parish. | 1,915 km² (739 mi²) |
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| Claiborne Parish | 027 | Homer | 1828 | from part of Natchitoches Parish. | 1,988 km² (768 mi²) |
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| Concordia Parish | 029 | Vidalia | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 1,939 km² (749 mi²) |
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| De Soto Parish | 031 | Mansfield | 1843 | from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | 2,317 km² (894 mi²) |
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| East Baton Rouge Parish | 033 | Baton Rouge | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | 1,219 km² (471 mi²) |
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| East Carroll Parish | 035 | Lake Providence | 1877 | when Carroll Parish was divided. | 1,144 km² (442 mi²) |
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| East Feliciana Parish | 037 | Clinton | 1824 | when Feliciana Parish was divided. | 1,180 km² (456 mi²) |
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| Evangeline Parish | 039 | Ville Platte | 1910 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | 1,760 km² (680 mi²) |
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| Franklin Parish | 041 | Winnsboro | 1843 | from parts of Carroll Parish, Catahoula Parish, Madison Parish and Ouachita Parish | 1,646 km² (635 mi²) |
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| Grant Parish | 043 | Colfax | 1869 | from parts of Rapides Parish and Winn Parish. | 1,721 km² (665 mi²) |
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| Iberia Parish | 045 | New Iberia | 1868 | from parts of St. Martin Parish and St. Mary Parish. | 2,670 km² (1,031 mi²) |
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| Iberville Parish | 047 | Plaquemine | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 1,691 km² (653 mi²) |
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| Jackson Parish | 049 | Jonesboro | 1845 | from parts of Claiborne Parish, Ouachita Parish and Union Parish | 1,503 km² (580 mi²) |
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| Jefferson Parish | 051 | Gretna | 1825 | from part of Orleans Parish | 1,664 km² (642 mi²) |
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| Jefferson Davis Parish | 053 | Jennings | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | 1,706 km² (659 mi²) |
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| Lafayette Parish | 055 | Lafayette | 1823 | from part of St. Martin Parish. | 700 km² (270 mi²) |
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| Lafourche Parish | 057 | Thibodaux | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Interior Parish until 1812 and Lafourche Interior Parish until 1853. | 3,813 km² (1,472 mi²) |
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| La Salle Parish | 059 | Jena | 1908 | from part of Catahoula Parish. | 1,716 km² (662 mi²) |
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| Lincoln Parish | 061 | Ruston | 1873 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Claiborne Parish, Jackson Parish and Union Parish. | 1,223 km² (472 mi²) |
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| Livingston Parish | 063 | Livingston | 1832 | from part of St. Helena Parish. | 1,820 km² (703 mi²) |
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| Madison Parish | 065 | Tallulah | 1838 | from Concordia Parish. | 1,685 km² (651 mi²). |
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| Morehouse Parish | 067 | Bastrop | 1844 | from parts of Carroll Parish and Ouachita Parish. | 2,085 km² (805 mi²) |
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| Natchitoches Parish | 069 | Natchitoches | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 3,365 km² (1,299 mi²) |
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| Orleans Parish | 071 | New Orleans | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Today coterminous with the City of New Orleans. | 907 km² (350 mi²) |  |
| Ouachita Parish | 073 | Monroe | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 1,639 km² (633 mi²) |
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| Plaquemines Parish | 075 | Pointe a la Hache | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 6,290 km² (2,429 mi²) |
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| Pointe Coupee Parish | 077 | New Roads | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 1,530 km² (591 mi²) |
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| Rapides Parish | 079 | Alexandria | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 3,527 km² (1,362 mi²) |
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| Red River Parish | 081 | Coushatta | 1871 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | 1,041 km² (402 mi²) |
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| Richland Parish | 083 | Rayville | 1868 | from parts of Carroll Parish, Franklin Parish, Morehouse Parish and Ouachita Parish. | 1,462 km² (565 mi²) |
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| Sabine Parish | 085 | Many | 1843 | from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | 2,620 km² (1,012 mi²) |
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| St. Bernard Parish | 087 | Chalmette | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 4,646 km² (1,794 mi²) |
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| St. Charles Parish | 089 | Hahnville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 1,062 km² (410 mi²) |
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| St. Helena Parish | 091 | Greensburg | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | 1,060 km² (409 mi²) |
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| St. James Parish | 093 | Convent | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 668 km² (258 mi²) |
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| St. John the Baptist Parish | 095 | Edgard | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 901 km² (348 mi²) |
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| St. Landry Parish | 097 | Opelousas | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 2,432 km² (939 mi²) |
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| St. Martin Parish | 099 | Saint Martinville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | 2,115 km² (816 mi²). |
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| St. Mary Parish | 101 | Franklin | 1811 | from part of St. Martin County. | 1,585 km² (612 mi²) |
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| St. Tammany Parish | 103 | Covington | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | 2,911 km² (1,124 mi²) |
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| Tangipahoa Parish | 105 | Amite | 1868 | from parts of Livingston Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Washington Parish. | 2,132 km² (823 mi²) |
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| Tensas Parish | 107 | Saint Joseph | 1843 | from part of Concordia Parish. | 1,661 km² (641 mi²) |
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| Terrebonne Parish | 109 | Houma | 1822 | from part of Lafourche Parish. | 5,387 km² (2,080 mi²) |
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| Union Parish | 111 | Farmerville | 1839 | from part of Ouachita Parish. | 2,345 km² (905 mi²) |
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| Vermilion Parish | 113 | Abbeville | 1844 | from part of Lafayette Parish. | 3,984 km² (1,538 mi²) |
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| Vernon Parish | 115 | Leesville | 1871 | from parts of Natchitoches Parish, Rapides Parish and Sabine Parish. | 3,474 km² (1,342 mi²) |
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| Washington Parish | 117 | Franklinton | 1819 | from part of St. Tammany Parish. | 1,751 km² (676 mi²) |
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| Webster Parish | 119 | Minden | 1871 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish and Claiborne Parish. | 1,593 km² (615 mi²) |
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| West Baton Rouge Parish | 121 | Port Allen | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Baton Rouge Parish until 1812. | 527km² (204 mi²) |
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| West Carroll Parish | 123 | Oak Grove | 1877 | when Carroll Parish was divided. | 933 km² (360 mi²) |
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| West Feliciana Parish | 125 | Saint Francisville | 1824 | when Feliciana Parish was divided. | 1,051 km² (406 mi²) |
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| Winn Parish | 127 | Winnfield | 1852 | from parts of Catahoula Parish, Natchitoches Parish and Rapides Parish. | 2,478 km² (957 mi²) |
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[edit] Defunct parishes
- Biloxi Parish formed in 1811 from West Florida territory. It was eliminated in 1812 when part of the former West Florida area was transferred to Mississippi Territory.[1]
- Carroll Parish formed in 1838 from part of Ouachita Parish. In 1877, it was divided into East Carroll Parish and West Carroll Parish.[1]
- Feliciana Parish formed in 1810 from West Florida territory. In 1824, it was divided in 1824 into East Feliciana Parish and West Feliciana Parish.[1]
- Pascagoula Parish formed in 1811 from West Florida territory. It was eliminated in 1812 when part of the former West Florida area was transferred to Mississippi Territory.[1]
- Warren Parish formed in 1811 from part of Concordia Parish, and merged into Concordia Parish and Ouachita Parish in 1814.[1]
[edit] Counties
The thirteen counties defined by the Territorial Legislative Council in 1803 were:
- Acadia County
- Attakapas County
- Concordia County
- German Coast County
- Iberville County
- Lafourche County
- Natchitoches County
- Opelousas County
- Orleans County
- Ouachita County
- Pointe Coupee County
- Rapides County
In addition, Feliciana County was established in 1810 from West Florida territory.
[edit] Fictional parishes
In the novel A Confederacy of Dunces, author John Kennedy Toole created the fictional "St. Odo of Cluny Parish".
In the novels Little Altars Everywhere, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and Ya-Yas in Bloom, author Rebecca Wells created the fictional "Garnet Parish".
The movie Steel Magnolias was said to take place in the fictional "Chinquapin Parish".
[edit] References
- Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. - Counties, parish seats, areas, names and date of formation of current parishes
- Louisiana County Formation Maps. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. - Formation dates and origin of parishes
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