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).

Forty-one parishes are governed by a council called the Police Jury. The other twenty-three have various other forms of government, including: president-council, council-manager, parish commission, and consolidated parish/city.

Louisiana was formed from French and Spanish colonies, which were both officially Roman Catholic. Local government was based upon parishes, as the local ecclesiastical division. Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the Territorial Legislative Council divided the Territory of Orleans (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]

Contents

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.

Listing

Parish FIPS Code [4] Parish seat [5] Established [5] Origin Population [5] Area [5] Map
Acadia Parish 001 Crowley 1886 from part of St. Landry Parish. 58,861 1,703 sq mi (4,411 km2)
Allen Parish 003 Oberlin 1912 from part of Calcasieu Parish. 25,440 1,983 sq mi (5,136 km2)
Ascension Parish 005 Donaldsonville 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 76,627 784 sq mi (2,031 km2)
Assumption Parish 007 Napoleonville 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 23,388 944 sq mi (2,445 km2)
Avoyelles Parish 009 Marksville 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 41,481 2,242 sq mi (5,807 km2)
Beauregard Parish 011 DeRidder 1912 from part of Calcasieu Parish. 32,986 3,020 sq mi (7,822 km2)
Bienville Parish 013 Arcadia 1848 from part of Claiborne Parish. 15,752 2,128 sq mi (5,511 km2)
Bossier Parish 015 Benton 1843 from part Claiborne Parish. 98,310 2,245 sq mi (5,815 km2)
Caddo Parish 017 Shreveport 1838 from part of Natchitoches Parish. 252,161 2,427 sq mi (6,286 km2)
Calcasieu Parish 019 Lake Charles 1840 from part of St. Landry Parish. 183,577 2,834 sq mi (7,340 km2)
Caldwell Parish 021 Columbia 1838 from part of Catahoula Parish and Ouachita Parish. 10,560 1,400 sq mi (3,626 km2)
Cameron Parish 023 Cameron 1870 from parts of Calcasieu Parish and Vermilion Parish. 9,991 5,003 sq mi (12,958 km2)
Catahoula Parish 025 Harrisonburg 1808 from parts of Ouachita Parish and Rapides Parish. 10,920 1,915 sq mi (4,960 km2)
Claiborne Parish 027 Homer 1828 from part of Natchitoches Parish. 16,851 1,988 sq mi (5,149 km2)
Concordia Parish 029 Vidalia 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 20,247 1,939 sq mi (5,022 km2)
De Soto Parish 031 Mansfield 1843 from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. 25,494 2,317 sq mi (6,001 km2)
East Baton Rouge Parish 033 Baton Rouge 1810 from West Florida territory. 412,852 1,219 sq mi (3,157 km2)
East Carroll Parish 035 Lake Providence 1877 when Carroll Parish was divided. 9,421 1,144 sq mi (2,963 km2)
East Feliciana Parish 037 Clinton 1824 when Feliciana Parish was divided. 21,360 1,180 sq mi (3,056 km2)
Evangeline Parish 039 Ville Platte 1910 from part of St. Landry Parish. 35,434 1,760 sq mi (4,558 km2)
Franklin Parish 041 Winnsboro 1843 from parts of Carroll Parish, Catahoula Parish, Madison Parish and Ouachita Parish 21,263 1,646 sq mi (4,263 km2)
Grant Parish 043 Colfax 1869 from parts of Rapides Parish and Winn Parish. 18,698 1,721 sq mi (4,457 km2)
Iberia Parish 045 New Iberia 1868 from parts of St. Martin Parish and St. Mary Parish. 73,266 2,670 sq mi (6,915 km2)
Iberville Parish 047 Plaquemine 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 33,320 1,691 sq mi (4,380 km2)
Jackson Parish 049 Jonesboro 1845 from parts of Claiborne Parish, Ouachita Parish and Union Parish 15,397 1,503 sq mi (3,893 km2)
Jefferson Parish 051 Gretna 1825 from part of Orleans Parish 455,466 1,664 sq mi (4,310 km2)
Jefferson Davis Parish 053 Jennings 1912 from part of Calcasieu Parish. 31,435 1,706 sq mi (4,419 km2)
Lafayette Parish 055 Lafayette 1823 from part of St. Martin Parish. 190,503 700 sq mi (1,813 km2)
Lafourche Parish 057 Thibodaux 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Interior Parish until 1812 and Lafourche Interior Parish until 1853. 89,974 3,813 sq mi (9,876 km2)
La Salle Parish 059 Jena 1908 from part of Catahoula Parish. 14,282 1,716 sq mi (4,444 km2)
Lincoln Parish 061 Ruston 1873 from parts of Bienville Parish, Claiborne Parish, Jackson Parish and Union Parish. 42,509 1,223 sq mi (3,168 km2)
Livingston Parish 063 Livingston 1832 from part of St. Helena Parish. 91,814 1,820 sq mi (4,714 km2)
Madison Parish 065 Tallulah 1838 from Concordia Parish. 13,728 1,685 sq mi (4,364 km2)
Morehouse Parish 067 Bastrop 1844 from parts of Carroll Parish and Ouachita Parish. 31,021 2,085 sq mi (5,400 km2)
Natchitoches Parish 069 Natchitoches 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 39,080 3,365 sq mi (8,715 km2)
Orleans Parish 071 New Orleans 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. Today coterminous with the City of New Orleans. 484,674 907 sq mi (2,349 km2)
Ouachita Parish 073 Monroe 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 147,250 1,639 sq mi (4,245 km2)
Plaquemines Parish 075 Pointe a la Hache 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 26,757 6,290 sq mi (16,291 km2)
Pointe Coupee Parish 077 New Roads 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 22,763 1,530 sq mi (3,963 km2)
Rapides Parish 079 Alexandria 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 126,337 3,527 sq mi (9,135 km2)
Red River Parish 081 Coushatta 1871 from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. 9,622 1,041 sq mi (2,696 km2)
Richland Parish 083 Rayville 1868 from parts of Carroll Parish, Franklin Parish, Morehouse Parish and Ouachita Parish. 20,981 1,462 sq mi (3,787 km2)
Sabine Parish 085 Many 1843 from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. 23,459 2,620 sq mi (6,786 km2)
Saint Bernard Parish 087 Chalmette 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 67,229 4,646 sq mi (12,033 km2)
Saint Charles Parish 089 Hahnville 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 48,072 1,062 sq mi (2,751 km2)
Saint Helena Parish 091 Greensburg 1810 from West Florida territory. 10,525 1,060 sq mi (2,745 km2)
Saint James Parish 093 Convent 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 21,216 668 sq mi (1,730 km2)
Saint John the Baptist Parish 095 Edgard 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 43,044 901 sq mi (2,334 km2)
Saint Landry Parish 097 Opelousas 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 87,700 2,432 sq mi (6,299 km2)
Saint Martin Parish 099 Saint Martinville 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. 48,583 2,115 sq mi (5,478 km2)
Saint Mary Parish 101 Franklin 1811 from part of St. Martin County. 53,500 1,585 sq mi (4,105 km2)
Saint Tammany Parish 103 Covington 1810 from West Florida territory. 191,268 2,911 sq mi (7,539 km2)
Tangipahoa Parish 105 Amite 1868 from parts of Livingston Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Washington Parish. 100,588 2,132 sq mi (5,522 km2)
Tensas Parish 107 Saint Joseph 1843 from part of Concordia Parish. 6,618 1,661 sq mi (4,302 km2)
Terrebonne Parish 109 Houma 1822 from part of Lafourche Parish. 104,503 5,387 sq mi (13,952 km2)
Union Parish 111 Farmerville 1839 from part of Ouachita Parish. 22,803 2,345 sq mi (6,074 km2)
Vermilion Parish 113 Abbeville 1844 from part of Lafayette Parish. 53,807 3,984 sq mi (10,319 km2)
Vernon Parish 115 Leesville 1871 from parts of Natchitoches Parish, Rapides Parish and Sabine Parish. 52,531 3,474 sq mi (8,998 km2)
Washington Parish 117 Franklinton 1819 from part of St. Tammany Parish. 43,926 1,751 sq mi (4,535 km2)
Webster Parish 119 Minden 1871 from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish and Claiborne Parish. 41,831 1,593 sq mi (4,126 km2)
West Baton Rouge Parish 121 Port Allen 1807 One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Baton Rouge Parish until 1812. 21,601 527 sq mi (1,365 km2)
West Carroll Parish 123 Oak Grove 1877 when Carroll Parish was divided. 12,314 933 sq mi (2,416 km2)
West Feliciana Parish 125 Saint Francisville 1824 when Feliciana Parish was divided. 15,111 1,051 sq mi (2,722 km2)
Winn Parish 127 Winnfield 1852 from parts of Catahoula Parish, Natchitoches Parish and Rapides Parish. 16,894 2,478 sq mi (6,418 km2)

Defunct parishes

  1. 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]
  2. Carroll Parish formed in 1838 from part of Ouachita Parish. In 1877, it was divided into East Carroll Parish and West Carroll Parish.[1]
  3. Feliciana Parish formed in 1810 from West Florida territory. In 1824, it was divided into East Feliciana Parish and West Feliciana Parish.[1]
  4. 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]
  5. Warren Parish formed in 1811 from part of Concordia Parish, and merged into Concordia Parish and Ouachita Parish in 1814.[1]

Counties

The thirteen counties defined by the Territorial Legislative Council in 1803 were:

  1. Acadia County
  2. Attakapas County
  3. Concordia County
  4. German Coast County
  5. Iberville County
  6. Lafourche County
  7. Natchitoches County
  8. Opelousas County
  9. Orleans County
  10. Ouachita County
  11. Pointe Coupee County
  12. Rapides County

In addition, Feliciana County was established in 1810 from West Florida territory.

Fictional parishes

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bryansite - Louisiana parishes
  2. ^ Louisiana Timeline - 1807
  3. ^ The Admission of Louisiana into the Union
  4. ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/codes/ar.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  5. ^ a b c d National Association of Counties. "". . Retrieved on 2008-06-12.
Lists of counties in the United States (parishes in Louisiana; boroughs and census areas in Alaska)

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
State of Louisiana
Baton Rouge (capital)
Topics

History | Music | Louisianans | Constitution | Governors | Lieutenant Governors | Attorneys General | Legislature | Supreme Court | Congressional Districts | Visitor Attractions | Culture
Regions

Acadiana | Ark-La-Tex | Central Louisiana | Florida Parishes | Greater New Orleans | North Louisiana
Cities

Alexandria | Baton Rouge | Bossier City | Houma | Kenner | Lafayette | Lake Charles | Monroe | New Iberia | New Orleans | Opelousas | Ruston | Shreveport | Slidell | Sulphur
CDPs

Chalmette | Harvey | LaPlace | Marrero | Metairie | Terrytown
Metros

Alexandria | Baton Rouge | Houma‑Bayou Cane‑Thibodaux | Lafayette | Lake Charles | Monroe | New Orleans | Shreveport‑Bossier City
Parishes

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

Categories: Louisiana parishes | Lists of U.S. counties by state | Louisiana-related lists

 

The above information uses material from Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Some facts may not have been fully verified for accuracy. [Disclaimers]
This page was last archived by our server on Wed Jul 8 14:52:52 2009. [ refresh local cache ]
Displaying this page or its contents does not use any Wikimedia Foundation's resources.
The owners of this site proudly support the Wikimedia Foundation.

[Hide]▼
[Hide]▲