Find Genealogy Records in East Feliciana Parish
East Feliciana Parish genealogy records go back to 1824, when the parish was created from Feliciana Parish. The Clerk of Court in Clinton holds marriage licenses, land records, court files, and probate documents that researchers use to trace family histories in this Feliciana region parish north of Baton Rouge.
East Feliciana Parish Quick Facts
East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court is located at 12305 St. Helena Street in Clinton, LA 70722. The mailing address is P.O. Box 595, Clinton, LA 70722 (also listed as P.O. Drawer 599, Clinton, LA 70722). The main phone is (225) 683-5145 and the fax is (225) 683-3109. Business hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Clinton is a small parish seat, so the courthouse serves as the central point for all genealogy record research in the parish.
East Feliciana Parish was created on February 17, 1824 from the division of the old Feliciana Parish into East and West Feliciana. Records held at the courthouse begin at that founding year. Researchers looking for family history from before 1824 may find relevant materials in the Feliciana Parish records that predate the division, which may be held at the Louisiana State Archives or on microfilm at the Family History Library.
eClerks LA provides free index searching for East Feliciana Parish records, letting researchers identify documents before requesting copies from the clerk's office.
| Address | 12305 St. Helena Street, Clinton, LA 70722 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | P.O. Box 595, Clinton, LA 70722 |
| Phone | (225) 683-5145 |
| Fax | (225) 683-3109 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
Search East Feliciana Parish Genealogy Records Online
eClerks LA is the main online portal for searching East Feliciana Parish records. This free index tool covers court records and land records statewide. You can search by name and find document numbers before requesting certified copies. Create a free account to access the index. If you need actual document images rather than just the index, a subscription may be required depending on what the parish has made available digitally.
East Feliciana is a rural parish with a small staff. Online access is more limited than in larger parishes. For older records, especially those from the 1800s and early 1900s, you will likely need to visit in person or send a mail request. The FamilySearch website has a wiki page for East Feliciana Parish that lists available databases and digitized collections, which can help you understand what is already online before contacting the clerk.
The Online Public Vital Records Index from the Louisiana Secretary of State is a free tool for finding historical birth and death records that have passed their confidentiality period under state law.
Genealogy Records in East Feliciana Parish
Records at the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court start in 1824. Marriage records from that year forward document unions in the parish. Court records, including civil and criminal matters, are also available from 1824. Probate and succession records that document estate settlements begin in 1824 as well. Land conveyance records and mortgage records covering property transfers in the parish round out the main genealogy collection.
Birth and death registration in Louisiana became mandatory statewide in 1914. For East Feliciana, records before that date were not systematically kept at the parish level for vital events. Some church registers, cemetery records, and family papers may supplement the gap for the pre-1914 period. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City and FamilySearch online have microfilmed records from East Feliciana Parish that include some earlier period materials.
Under Louisiana's closed record rules in RS 40:41, birth records from 1914 forward are confidential for 100 years. Death records from 1914 forward are confidential for 50 years. Records older than these limits are open to the public through the Louisiana Department of Health or the state vital records index.
Louisiana State Archives and East Feliciana Parish
The Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge at 3851 Essen Lane holds statewide collections that include materials from East Feliciana Parish. The Spanish West Florida Records compiled by the East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk actually cover territory that includes parts of present-day East Feliciana Parish, so those 19 translated volumes from 1782 to 1810 may contain relevant records for this area. Researchers should check with the Archives before assuming old records are only at the courthouse.
The Archives holds Confederate pension records that can document military service by East Feliciana men during the Civil War. Military records, naturalization petitions, and other statewide series may also contain East Feliciana Parish materials. The Archives reading room is open to the public and staff can help identify relevant record groups for your research.
Note: The Louisiana Department of Health issues certified vital records for events after 1914 that are now open to the public. Contact ldh.la.gov/vital-records or use VitalChek for online orders.
How to Request East Feliciana Parish Records
The best way to get records is to visit the courthouse in Clinton. Go to 12305 St. Helena Street during business hours. Bring the names of the people you are researching, the approximate dates, and the type of record you want. Staff can search the indexes and pull documents. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost an additional $5.00 per document.
You can also send a mail request. Write to P.O. Box 595, Clinton, LA 70722. Describe exactly what you need: names, dates, record type. Include payment by check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow several weeks for a response, as small parish offices have limited staff for mail research.
For birth and death certificates, contact the Louisiana Department of Health, not the parish clerk. The state Vital Records office in New Orleans handles those records. You can order online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at a local Louisiana Health Unit.
What East Feliciana Parish Records Contain
Marriage records from 1824 forward include the full names of both parties, their ages, birthplaces, parents' names, residency at the time of marriage, prior marital status, the date and place of the ceremony, witness names, and the officiant. These records are particularly useful because they connect a person to their parents and place of origin, helping researchers trace lines back further in time.
Succession records are among the most detailed genealogy documents available. A typical succession file from East Feliciana Parish includes the petition to open the estate, an inventory of all property owned by the deceased with estimated values, a list of all heirs and their relationship to the deceased, any debts claimed against the estate, and the final court order distributing the property. When the deceased left a will, the original document appears in the file. These records can span multiple years if the estate was complex, and they often name children, stepchildren, siblings, in-laws, and more distant relatives.
Land records are indexed by the names of the buyer and seller. Each deed describes the property being transferred, gives the price paid, notes the date of the transaction, and identifies the notary who handled it. Tracing land through multiple sales can reveal family relationships, since property often stayed within extended family groups for generations. Under RS 44:1, these records are public.
The Louisiana GenWeb site and FamilySearch wiki for East Feliciana Parish list online databases, transcribed records, and cemetery data for family history researchers.
Cities in East Feliciana Parish
Clinton is the parish seat of East Feliciana Parish. All genealogy records for the parish are maintained at the Clerk of Court courthouse in Clinton.
Nearby Parishes
East Feliciana Parish is in the Florida Parishes region north of Baton Rouge. Neighboring parishes each maintain their own clerk offices and genealogy records.