Search Claiborne Parish Genealogy Records

Claiborne Parish genealogy records are held by the Clerk of Court in Homer and run from 1850, following a courthouse fire in 1848 that destroyed earlier documents. Marriage licenses, land records, probate filings, and court records covering more than 170 years of family history in this north Louisiana parish are accessible through the 2nd Judicial District Clerk's office, with online access available through both eClerks LA and ClerkConnect.

Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court

Brian M. Flynn serves as Clerk of Court for Claiborne Parish. The office at 512 East Main Street in Homer handles real estate, elections, vital records, and all civil and criminal court matters for the 2nd Judicial District. The office closes from noon to 1 PM daily, which is important to know when planning a research visit. Records are also stored in a separate Record Building opposite the courthouse, similar to Bienville Parish which shares the 2nd Judicial District.

One notable fact about this office: it operates entirely on fees and receives no ad valorem tax funding. This means copy fees and service charges fund all office operations. The phone at (318) 927-9601 handles real estate, elections, vital records, and assessor inquiries. The Assessor's office has its own number at (318) 927-3022 and the Treasurer is at (318) 927-2222 if you need those offices for supplemental research.

Claiborne Parish was created on March 15, 1828 from Natchitoches Parish. A courthouse fire in 1848 destroyed records from 1828 to around 1850, so surviving records begin at that point. Records before 1828 fall under Natchitoches Parish.

The Claiborne Parish Clerk website links to ClerkConnect for online record access and provides contact information for all departments.

The Claiborne Parish Clerk's official website provides links to ClerkConnect and eClerks LA for online record searching in Homer, Louisiana.

Search Claiborne Parish Genealogy Records Online

ClerkConnect is the primary online subscription platform for Claiborne Parish genealogy records. It provides access to conveyance records, mortgage records, criminal records, and marriage licenses. Subscription rates are $20 per day, $75 per month, or $625 per year, with three licenses per subscription. Copies cost $1.00 per page for viewing-only access. E-recording and e-filing are available through ClerkConnect as well. You can print, save, and review documents online with an active subscription.

The statewide free index at eClerks LA also covers Claiborne Parish for land and marriage record indices at no cost. Create a free account and search without charge. Confirm a record exists and get its reference information before deciding to subscribe or visit in person. For genealogists who need only a handful of specific records, the free index plus a day-access subscription to ClerkConnect may be the most cost-effective approach.

For certified birth and death certificates, use VitalChek for online orders or contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.

ClerkConnect gives Claiborne Parish subscribers access to conveyance, mortgage, criminal, and marriage license records online.

Genealogy Records Available in Claiborne Parish

Claiborne Parish records begin in 1850 after the 1848 courthouse fire destroyed earlier documents. Marriage records, divorce records, probate and succession records, court records, and land records all date from around 1850 through the present. The Clerk holds conveyances and mortgages, civil and criminal court cases, and marriage licenses from that point. Birth and death certificates are also available through the Clerk's office acting as a state agent for the Louisiana Vital Records Registry.

Statewide mandatory vital records registration began in 1914. Under Louisiana RS 40:41, birth records are confidential for 100 years and death records for 50 years. Certified copies of restricted vital records are only available to the named individual, immediate family, legal guardians, or authorized representatives with valid ID. The phone number (318) 927-9601 handles vital records inquiries at the Clerk's office. Once restrictions pass, older records are searchable through the Louisiana State Archives online index.

Note: Because the courthouse fire of 1848 destroyed earlier records, researchers looking for Claiborne Parish family history before 1850 should check Natchitoches Parish records, from which Claiborne was formed in 1828.

Louisiana State Archives and Claiborne Parish Records

The Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge holds historical vital records under the limits set by RS 40:41. Birth records become public after 100 years and death records after 50 years. The Online Public Vital Records Index at the Archives website lets you search older records by name from any location. For Claiborne Parish, this index is the practical way to find death records from the early-to-mid 20th century that have now cleared the restriction period.

How to Request Claiborne Parish Records

In-person access is at 512 East Main Street in Homer. Remember the office is closed from noon to 1 PM. Records may also be stored in a separate Record Building opposite the courthouse. Bring valid photo ID and a list of names and dates. Public access to records is free during business hours, with copies charged at $1.00 per page. Certified copies add $5.00.

Mail requests go to Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 330, Homer, LA 71040. Include full names, record type, dates, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by check or money order. Birth certificates cost $34.00 and death certificates cost $26.00. Include a copy of your photo ID and relationship to the person named on any vital records request. ClerkConnect subscriptions give you home access to records through the online portal at clerkconnect.com.

Online access through ClerkConnect costs $20 per day, $75 per month, or $625 per year with three concurrent licenses. eClerks LA is free for index searches. VitalChek handles online vital record orders. Allow 2-4 weeks for mail requests. Because the office operates entirely on fees, including the right payment upfront avoids delays.

What Claiborne Parish Genealogy Records Contain

Marriage records in Claiborne Parish list both parties' names, their ages, residences, parents' names when recorded, previous marital status, the date and location of the ceremony, the officiant, and the witnesses. Conveyance and mortgage records show grantor and grantee names, the property description, the price paid, the date of the transaction, and the notary and witnesses present. These land records are critical for tracing property ownership chains across generations in north Louisiana.

Probate and succession records from 1850 list heirs, estate assets, and inventories. Court records document civil suits and criminal matters filed in the 2nd Judicial District. Under Louisiana RS 44:1, court and land records held by the Clerk are public records open for inspection. Older death certificates, once the 50-year restriction passes, include name, age, date and cause of death, birthplace, and parents' information. The 170-plus years of intact records in Claiborne Parish give researchers a strong foundation for north Louisiana family history work despite the loss of pre-1850 documents in the courthouse fire.

Cities in Claiborne Parish

Homer is the parish seat of Claiborne Parish. Haynesville, Lisbon, and Junction City are other communities in the parish. All genealogy records for the parish are held at the Clerk of Court in Homer.

Nearby Parishes

Claiborne Parish is in north Louisiana near the Arkansas border. Families in this area often appear in records from neighboring parishes, and some families have roots reaching across into Arkansas as well.