Lafourche Parish Genealogy Records

Lafourche Parish genealogy records are held by the Clerk of Court in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and span civil, property, marriage, and succession documents that researchers use to trace family lines in this bayou-country parish. This guide explains how to find, request, and access those records through the parish office, online portals, and state-level archives.

Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court

Hon. Annette Fontana serves as Clerk of Court for Lafourche Parish. The main office is in Thibodaux, with two branch offices that hold limited hours in Lockport and Galliano (Cut Off area). The Thibodaux office handles the full range of civil, criminal, and property record requests and has a public research area with computers and printed indexes.

The public research area at the main office lets you search indexes and pull records on your own. Self-service copies run $0.50 per page; staff-made copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost an additional $5.00 per document.

For branch office visits, call ahead to confirm the record type you need is accessible there. Most complex research stays at the main Thibodaux location.

The office screenshot below shows the Lafourche Clerk's main web presence, which is a useful starting point before your visit or before setting up an online subscription.

Visit the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court website to confirm current hours and access the records search portal.

The site lists all departments, contact numbers for each division, and links to the online subscription portals for records access.

Search Lafourche Parish Genealogy Records Online

Lafourche Parish offers two main paths for online access to genealogy records. The first is the parish's own subscription portal at lafourcheclerk.com/records-search. This system requires separate subscriptions for civil/criminal records and for conveyance/mortgage records. Civil and criminal indexes go back to July 1, 1982, with minute entries from January 1, 2001 and document images starting March 2018. The 30-day unlimited plan costs $50; a one-day pass is $20.

The second option is ClerkConnect, a multi-parish portal that includes Lafourche. Researchers who already have a ClerkConnect account for other Louisiana parishes can add Lafourche access through the same platform. ClerkConnect is useful if you're researching families that crossed parish lines.

eClerks LA is the statewide e-filing and records alert system. It doesn't replace the search portals but lets you set up alerts when new documents are filed under a specific name. That can be handy when you're tracking recent filings for living relatives.

The screenshot below shows the Lafourche records search portal, where you can create an account and choose your subscription type.

Go directly to the Lafourche Parish Records Search Portal to sign up or log in.

The portal search fields include party name, case number, date range, case type, and division for civil records, and grantor/grantee name, instrument type, and book/page reference for property records.

Genealogy Records in Lafourche Parish

Lafourche Parish holds a solid range of genealogy records given the parish's age. The types you're most likely to need for family research include marriage records, conveyance records, succession (probate) records, and court records. Birth and death certificates issued in the last 100 years (births) or since July 2012 (deaths) can also be obtained at the Lafourche Clerk's office, though most vital records are managed by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans.

Record coverage by type:

• Marriage records: contact the Clerk's office for coverage years
• Civil and criminal indexes: July 1, 1982 to present online; earlier records available in-person
• Conveyance and mortgage records: available through the records portal
• Probate and succession records: held by the Civil Department
• Birth certificates: records from the last 100 years ($34 each; $48 with birth card)
• Death certificates: July 2012 to present ($26 each); cash only for vital records at this office

Note: Louisiana is a "closed record" state under RS 40:41. Birth records remain confidential for 100 years from the date of birth, and death records are restricted for 50 years. Records outside those windows are generally available to the public. The Lafourche Clerk can help you determine what falls within or outside the restricted period.

Louisiana State Archives and Lafourche Parish

The Louisiana State Archives, located at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge, holds historical vital records and other documents that predate local courthouse records or that supplement them. For Lafourche Parish researchers, the Archives is particularly useful for records from the early 1800s through statewide vital registration, which began in 1914.

The Louisiana Secretary of State maintains an Online Public Vital Records Index that lets you search statewide birth and death records that have passed the confidentiality window. This free index is a good first step before ordering a certified copy. You can search by name, year range, and parish to see if a record exists before you pay for it.

For births and deaths still within the confidential period, requests go to the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. Certified copies can also be ordered through VitalChek, the state's authorized third-party ordering service. Vital Records processes requests by mail and in-person; processing times vary by volume.

How to Request Lafourche Parish Records

You have three ways to get Lafourche Parish genealogy records: in person, by mail, or online through the subscription portal.

In-person visits to 303 W. Third Street in Thibodaux give you the most flexibility. The public research area has computers with index access and printed finding aids. You can make your own copies for $0.50 per page or ask staff to make copies for $1.00 per page. For criminal background name searches, the Criminal Department charges $20 per name, with certified copies at $5 plus a $5 processing fee. Bring a photo ID.

Mail requests work for most record types. Write a letter with the full names of parties, approximate dates, the type of record, and any case or instrument numbers you know. Include a check or money order for the estimated copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Mail to: Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 818, Thibodaux, LA 70302-0818. Staff will confirm availability and let you know if additional payment is needed.

Online subscriptions through the parish portal or ClerkConnect let you search and download records from home. Create an account, choose a subscription plan, and search by name, date range, or case number. Civil and criminal subscriptions are separate from conveyance and mortgage subscriptions, so pay attention to which one you need.

Note: The eClerks LA portal is a companion tool for electronic filing and record alerts, not a standalone search database. Use it alongside the parish or ClerkConnect subscription.

What Lafourche Parish Records Contain

Different record types reveal different kinds of family information. Knowing what each one holds helps you decide where to start.

Marriage records name both parties, the date and place of the ceremony, and often the names of parents and witnesses. They're among the most useful genealogy records because they tie multiple family members together in one document.

Land conveyance records show who sold or transferred property, the legal description of the parcel, and the price or consideration. Mortgage records show secured debts. Together, they can track a family's movement through Lafourche Parish over generations and sometimes reveal family relationships when property passed between relatives.

Succession records (probate) are estate records created when someone died. They typically list the deceased's assets, debts, heirs, and sometimes family relationships in detail. A succession file may include an inventory of household goods, livestock, or crops. These records can be among the most genealogically rich documents in the parish.

Civil court records cover lawsuits, guardianships, and other non-criminal matters. Criminal court records document charges, pleas, and outcomes. Both can mention family members and relationships. Birth certificates list the child's name, birthdate, birthplace, and parents' names. Death certificates identify the deceased, the date and cause of death, and often the name of a surviving spouse or informant.

The ClerkConnect screenshot below shows the multi-parish portal interface used to access Lafourche Parish records online.

Access ClerkConnect to search Lafourche and other Louisiana parishes through one account.

ClerkConnect covers civil, criminal, and property records for participating Louisiana parishes and is a practical option for researchers tracking families across multiple parishes.

Cities in Lafourche Parish

Thibodaux is the parish seat and location of the main Clerk of Court office. Other communities in Lafourche Parish include Lockport, Golden Meadow, Galliano, Cut Off, and Larose. Houma, which serves as the seat of neighboring Terrebonne Parish, is a city and is accessible to Lafourche residents who may need Terrebonne records.

For Houma-related records, see the Houma city page.

Nearby Parishes

Researchers working in Lafourche Parish often need records from adjacent parishes, particularly Terrebonne to the west and St. Mary or Assumption to the north. Families in bayou country moved frequently between these parishes.