Metairie Genealogy Records
Metairie genealogy records are maintained by the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, which handles land, marriage, probate, and court filings for all of Jefferson Parish. As an unincorporated community on the east bank of Jefferson Parish, Metairie residents have historically filed records through the parish clerk offices in Gretna and the First Parish Court in Metairie itself.
Metairie Quick Facts
Metairie Genealogy Records at the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court
The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court is the central repository for Metairie genealogy records. The clerk maintains marriage licenses, land and mortgage records, probate and succession filings, and 24th Judicial District Court records covering all of Jefferson Parish. Metairie, as the most populous community in the parish, is heavily represented in these collections.
| Main Office | Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 5600, Gretna, LA 70053 |
| Phone | (504) 364-2900 |
| Website | www.jpclerkofcourt.us |
| First Parish Court | 924 David Drive, Metairie, LA 70003 |
| First Parish Phone | (504) 364-2900 |
The First Parish Court location on David Drive serves the east bank of Jefferson Parish, which includes Metairie. This office handles civil filings and can assist with certificate requests for birth ($34) and death ($26) records issued through the parish's vital records programs. Note that recent vital records are a state matter, but the parish court handles some certificate processing as an agent of the state system.
Probate and succession filings in Jefferson Parish name all heirs and list estate assets. These records are filed through the 24th JDC and are particularly useful for tracing Metairie families across multiple generations. Land records at the clerk's office go back well into the 19th century and can place ancestors in specific neighborhoods within the parish.
Search Metairie Genealogy Records Online
Jefferson Parish participates in eClerks LA, which provides free public index access to land, mortgage, and marriage records. Search by name to find records filed in Jefferson Parish. Many index entries link to document images that can be viewed online. The ClerkConnect platform is another option for accessing Jefferson Parish document images, with some records available free and others behind a paid account.
The Jefferson Parish Library system also supports genealogy research. The East Bank Regional Library at 4747 West Napoleon Avenue, Metairie, phone (504) 838-1190, holds local history and genealogy materials and provides in-library access to major online databases. Staff can help identify relevant collections for Jefferson Parish family history research.
The Jefferson Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 961, Metairie, LA 70004, is a local organization that maintains genealogy resources specifically focused on Jefferson Parish families. Membership connects researchers with others working on the same family lines in the greater New Orleans metro area.
Note: Metairie is unincorporated, so it has no city government records. All civil records are held at the parish level through the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court.
Louisiana State Archives Records for Metairie
The Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds Jefferson Parish vital records that meet the access thresholds under RS 40:41: death records become publicly accessible 50 years after the event and birth records after 100 years from birth. Researchers can search the statewide index at the Online Public Vital Records Index to check whether a Jefferson Parish record is available. The Archives is at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Photocopies cost $5 per record; certified copies are $10.
The Archives Research Library also holds census materials, military service records, and state land office records that may include Jefferson Parish families. The full range of State Archives research resources is described on their website. Call (225) 922-1208 to speak with genealogy staff before visiting.
Vital Records for Metairie Residents
Louisiana is a closed record state. Birth and death certificates for Metairie residents are not available at the parish level for recent records. All such requests go to the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, phone (504) 593-5100, open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Birth certificates cost $15; death certificates are $7 per copy. Mail requests take 8-10 weeks. Walk-in service is available at that office.
Online ordering through VitalChek is the fastest option for residents who need certificates quickly. Because the Vital Records Registry is located in New Orleans, Metairie residents are relatively close and can visit in person on a weekday if the timeline permits.
Genealogy Resources in Metairie
The Jefferson Parish Library East Bank Regional branch in Metairie is the best local starting point for genealogy research. The library holds local history materials, online database access, and staff familiar with Jefferson Parish records. The Jefferson Genealogical Society provides a network of researchers focused specifically on the parish. For broader Louisiana research, the Louisiana State Library and the National Archives at Fort Worth at archives.gov/fort-worth provide access to federal census, military, and naturalization records that supplement the parish-level collections.
The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court website is shown below, providing online access to index data and document images for Metairie and all Jefferson Parish genealogy records.
The clerk's online portal connects to eClerks LA and ClerkConnect for searching land, mortgage, and marriage records filed in Jefferson Parish without a trip to the courthouse.
What Metairie Genealogy Records Contain
Birth records for Metairie residents document the child's full name, birth date and place, parents' names, ages, and birthplaces, plus the informant's name and filing date. Death records add cause of death, marital status, spouse's name, and burial location. Marriage licenses from Jefferson Parish name both parties, their ages and birthplaces, parents' names, witnesses, and the officiant. Land records describe the property and identify the buyer, seller, and any witnesses. Probate succession filings name all heirs and often include inventories of personal effects.
Under RS 44:1, most Louisiana government records are public. Court filings, land records, and succession documents at the Jefferson Parish Clerk are open to any researcher. Jefferson Parish court records from the 24th JDC document civil proceedings that often name extended family members not captured in vital records. Combined with the Library's local history collection and the State Archives vital records database, researchers have solid coverage for Metairie and Jefferson Parish family history going back well into the 1800s.
Jefferson Parish Genealogy Records
Metairie is in Jefferson Parish, so genealogy records are filed through the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court. For full details on the clerk office, online access systems, fees, and all record types available, visit the parish page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities in the greater New Orleans area each have their own genealogy record pages.