Search Lafayette Parish Genealogy Records

Lafayette Parish genealogy records are kept at the Clerk of Court office at 800 S. Buchanan Street in Lafayette. The clerk holds marriage licenses, land records, court files, and probate records going back to 1823 when the parish was created. You can search many of these records online through the parish eSearch portal and the statewide eClerks LA system. This page covers where to find Lafayette Parish genealogy records, how to request them, and what each source contains for family history research.

Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court

The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court is the central source for genealogy records in the parish. Clerk Louis J. Perret oversees an office that holds marriage licenses from 1823 to the present, land records and conveyances from 1823, probate and succession records, civil and criminal court records, and divorce filings. The courthouse is at 800 S. Buchanan Street in Lafayette, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502. The main phone is (337) 291-6400. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

The clerk maintains separate departments for different record types, each with its own phone number. Call (337) 291-6303 for civil records, (337) 291-6329 for criminal records, and (337) 291-6300 for land records. If you need to set up an online account for the eSearch portal, reach the online records department at (337) 291-6477. The clerk's website at lpclerk.com has more details on each department and access options.

The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court website lists all departments, online access options, and record request procedures for genealogy researchers.

The clerk's website gives direct access to the eSearch portal and lists department contacts for researchers who need help finding specific genealogy records.

Search Lafayette Parish Genealogy Records Online

Lafayette Parish offers two main paths to search genealogy records online. The parish's own eSearch portal at lpclerk.com/online-records covers court records and land records. Court records include civil, probate, criminal, and traffic case information for unsealed files. Land records include mortgage, conveyance, and UCC index searches. Document images are available from January 1, 1935 to the present. Both the court and land sections require a paid subscription account. You create your account through the clerk's website and pay through the online system before searching.

The statewide Louisiana Clerks Portal at laclerksportal.org gives free index searches for land, civil, marriage, and probate records across participating Louisiana parishes including Lafayette. Index results show basic identifying information at no cost. To view full document images, you need the paid eSearch subscription from the Lafayette Parish Clerk. The free index is a good starting point to confirm a record exists and get its book and page reference before paying for images.

The Louisiana Clerks Portal gives a free entry point for Lafayette Parish land, marriage, and civil record indexes without requiring a subscription.

eClerks LA at eclerksla.com is a third option for free index searches on conveyance and mortgage records. It also offers the eClerks Alert tool, which sends notifications when new filings are made for names you choose to monitor. This is useful for genealogists who want to track when new land or court records mentioning a family name are filed in Lafayette Parish.

eClerks LA covers Lafayette Parish and gives free index results for conveyance and mortgage records in a single statewide search interface.

Note: The eSearch portal covers document images from 1935 forward. For older Lafayette Parish records going back to 1823, you may need to visit the clerk's office in person or submit a mail request.

Genealogy Records Available in Lafayette Parish

Lafayette Parish was created on January 17, 1823, from St. Martin Parish. Records at the Clerk of Court go back to that founding date. Marriage licenses from 1823 to the present are available at the clerk's office. Certified copies of marriage licenses cost $5 each. To request a copy by mail, complete the "Request for Certified Copies of Marriage License" form with both spouses' full names, the date of marriage, and the license number if known. Mail the form to the Marriage License Department at P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502.

Land and conveyance records, mortgage filings, and probate and succession records also date from 1823. Court records covering civil, criminal, and family court cases are available through the clerk's civil and criminal departments. Divorce records are available through the family department. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 44:1, all of these records are public and open to inspection by anyone 18 or older. You do not need to be a party to any case to request copies.

Louisiana State Archives and Lafayette Parish Records

The Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge holds historical vital records for Lafayette Parish that are beyond the confidentiality windows set by state law. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 40:41, birth records are confidential for 100 years and death records for 50 years. Once those time periods pass, the records move to the Archives and become available for genealogy research. You can search the online index at sos.la.gov/historicalresources for free and order photocopies for $5 or certified copies for $10 by mail.

The Archives Research Library, reachable at (225) 922-1208, holds additional Lafayette Parish genealogy materials including census records, military service records, and family histories. Appointments are recommended for in-person research visits. The library is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with archival access ending at 3:00 PM.

Vital Records for Lafayette Parish Residents

The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court issues birth certificates as an agent of the state. Records from 1983 to the present are typically printed within minutes. Records before 1983 require a minimum one-hour wait. Only the person named on the certificate or an immediate family member with a photo ID can obtain a birth certificate through the clerk. Death certificates are available through the clerk for deaths occurring after July 9, 2012.

For recent records not available through the clerk, contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry at (504) 593-5100. The Registry at 1450 Poydras Street in New Orleans handles birth and death certificates statewide. Birth certificates cost $15 per copy. Death certificates cost $7 per copy. You can also order certified copies online through VitalChek, the state's authorized ordering system. Standard delivery takes 5 to 7 business days. Mail requests to the Registry take 8 to 10 weeks. More details are at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.

Note: Louisiana is a "closed record" state. Birth records under 100 years old and death records under 50 years old can only be obtained by authorized family members and legal representatives.

Lafayette Parish Library Genealogy Resources

The Lafayette Public Library at 301 W. Congress Street in Lafayette is a strong supplement to the Clerk of Court for genealogy research. The main library holds an extensive genealogy collection including census records, local history materials, newspaper archives, family histories, and Louisiana and Acadiana historical records. Call the information desk at (337) 261-5787. The library website is at lafayettepubliclibrary.org. An Ancestry.com subscription is available for in-library use, giving researchers free access to a wide range of digitized genealogy databases. The library also has branch locations including the South Regional Library at 6101 Johnston Street and the North Regional Library at 5101 North University Avenue in Carencro.

An LDS FamilySearch Center at 116 E. Bluebird in Lafayette provides access to FamilySearch databases and microfilm collections for genealogy research at no charge. Hours are limited; contact the Church for the current schedule. The Louisiana State Library in Baton Rouge is another option for census records, ship passenger lists, microfilm parish records, and historical newspapers from major Louisiana cities.

What Lafayette Parish Genealogy Records Contain

Marriage records from Lafayette Parish include the full names of bride and groom, their ages and birthplaces, parents' names, previous marital status, the date and place of the ceremony, witnesses, and the officiant. Land and conveyance records include grantor and grantee names, the legal description of the property, sale price, date of transaction, the notary, and witnesses. These records go back to 1823 and can trace property ownership and family connections across many generations in the Acadiana region.

Probate and succession records contain estate inventories, heir names, property divisions, and court orders. Civil court records may include disputes, judgments, and family law matters. Death records at the State Archives include the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, birth date and birthplace, marital status, spouse's name, parents' names, cause of death, and burial location. Birth records include the child's name, birth date and place, parents' names and ages, and birthplaces. All of these records are described as admissible evidence in court proceedings under Louisiana Code of Evidence Article 803(9), giving them legal weight beyond genealogy use.

Cities in Lafayette Parish

Lafayette is the parish seat and the major city in Lafayette Parish. All genealogy records for Lafayette residents are filed through this same Clerk of Court office. The city and parish share the same court system under the 15th Judicial District Court. Visit the city page for more on genealogy resources specific to the city of Lafayette.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Lafayette Parish. If you need records from an adjacent area or are not sure which parish holds a specific record, check the pages below for neighboring clerk offices and resources.