Acadia Parish Genealogy Records

Acadia Parish genealogy records dating back to 1886 are kept by the Clerk of Court in Crowley, Louisiana. If you need to find family history records such as marriage licenses, land deeds, court filings, or probate files in Acadia Parish, the Clerk's office is your primary source for documents that span more than 130 years of local history and family connections in southwest Louisiana.

Acadia Parish Clerk of Court

The Acadia Parish Clerk of Court holds the official genealogy records for the parish and serves as a key resource for researchers tracing family history in the Crowley area. Robert T. "Robby" Barousse serves as Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Recorder. The office maintains records going back to 1887 in original form, on microfilm, and in electronic imaging. Staff in the Research Department can help you find what you need, though the actual research is left to you.

The office has two separate fax lines. Use (337) 783-3855 for civil, family court, criminal, marriage, and accounting matters. Use (337) 788-1048 for conveyances, mortgages, miscellaneous records, and vital records. If you call ahead and have an account, fax requests are also accepted.

Public access computers are available at the courthouse during business hours. All property transactions, mineral leases, divorce judgments, chattel records, UCC filings, and subdivision maps can be searched through the written index or computer system. Records date back to 1887 and exist in multiple formats.

The Acadia Parish Clerk of Court website provides direct links to online record services, fee schedules, and department contacts.

The eClerks LA portal shown above gives free index access to Acadia Parish land and marriage records online.

Search Acadia Parish Genealogy Records Online

Two main platforms let you search Acadia Parish genealogy records from home. eClerks LA is a free statewide index. You can search conveyance records, mortgage records, and marriage license indices at no cost. Creating a free account gives you full index access. Document images require a paid subscription, but the index itself costs nothing and lets you confirm a record exists before you make a trip or send a request.

For civil, criminal, and property records, Acadia Parish uses ClerkConnect. This subscription service gives you access to civil records from 1980, criminal records from 1980, and property and mortgage records from 1980. Subscription rates run $85 for account setup plus $35 per month. You can print a contract from the website, fill it out, and mail it to the Clerk's office at P.O. Box 922, Crowley, LA 70527.

The Acadia Parish Clerk website links to both platforms directly. If you already have an account, fax requests are also accepted for document copies.

ClerkConnect gives subscribers access to Acadia Parish civil, criminal, and property record images going back to 1980.

Genealogy Records Available in Acadia Parish

Acadia Parish was created in 1886, and parish records start from that year. The Clerk of Court holds a wide range of genealogy records useful for family history research. Marriage records run from 1886 to the present and document names, ages, residences, parents, witnesses, and the officiant. Land and conveyance records from 1887 list grantor and grantee names, legal descriptions, sale prices, dates, and notary information. These records are particularly valuable for tracing property lines across generations.

Probate and succession records from 1886 onward cover wills, estate inventories, and guardianships. Court records from 1886 include civil suits and criminal cases. Divorce records are also held by the Clerk and run from 1886 to present. Birth certificates are available through the Clerk acting as a state agent, but access is restricted by Louisiana RS 40:41, which keeps birth records confidential for 100 years and death records for 50 years. Birth cards go back 100 years; anyone born before 1986 may need to contact the Vital Records Office directly.

Note: Newborns must wait 90 days before a birth certificate can be obtained through the Clerk's office.

Louisiana State Archives and Acadia Parish Records

The Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds historical vital records for the entire state, including Acadia Parish. Under RS 40:41, birth records become accessible to the public after 100 years and death records after 50 years. The Archives maintains an online index at the Online Public Vital Records Index where you can search by name for older records without making a trip to Baton Rouge. This is often a fast first step when looking for ancestors who died or were born in earlier decades.

The Archives building is located at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Records there include historical birth and death certificates, plus other state-level documents that supplement what the parish Clerk of Court holds. For more recent certified copies of birth or death certificates, use VitalChek or contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry directly at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.

How to Request Acadia Parish Records

You have three ways to get Acadia Parish genealogy records. In person is the fastest. Visit the Clerk's office at 500 North Parkerson Avenue during business hours. Public computers are available, and staff will help you find the right index. Self-service copying costs $0.25 per page; staff-assisted copies run $1.00 per page. Bring valid ID, especially for vital records.

To request by mail, write to Acadia Parish Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 922, Crowley, LA 70527. Include the full names of the parties, the type of record you need, relevant dates, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Include a check or money order for copy fees. Plan for 2-4 weeks for mail processing. For vital records by mail, include a copy of your ID and note your relationship to the person named on the record.

Online access through ClerkConnect lets subscribers view and print documents from 1980 onward. Birth and death certificates ordered online go through VitalChek. Fees for certified copies run $34 for a birth certificate, $48 for a birth certificate and card together, and $26 for a death certificate. Payment at the office is by check, cash, or money order only for vital records.

What Acadia Parish Genealogy Records Contain

Marriage records in Acadia Parish give you the names of the bride and groom, their ages, their places of residence, their parents' names, the date of the ceremony, the officiant, and the witnesses. These details make marriage records one of the richest sources in genealogy work because they link two family lines in a single document. Land records show you the grantor, the grantee, the legal description of the property down to section, township, and range, the sale price, the transaction date, the notary, and the witnesses present. Over generations, a chain of land records can trace a family's presence in Acadia Parish across many decades.

Probate and succession records list heirs, estate assets, and sometimes include detailed inventories of household goods and farm equipment, which gives a vivid picture of daily life. Court records document legal disputes, civil suits, and criminal matters. Under Louisiana RS 44:1, most court and land records in the Clerk's office are public records, open for inspection during business hours. Death certificates, once past the 50-year restriction, list name, age, birthplace, parents, cause of death, and date. Birth certificates list the child's name, date, place, and parents. Together, these record types let you build a detailed picture of family lines going back well into the 1800s.

Cities in Acadia Parish

Crowley is the parish seat and the largest city in Acadia Parish. Other towns in the parish include Rayne, Eunice (shared with St. Landry Parish), Church Point, and Iota.

Nearby Parishes

Acadia Parish borders several parishes in south-central Louisiana. Researchers tracing families across parish lines may also need to check records in these nearby jurisdictions.