Pointe Coupee Parish Genealogy Records
Pointe Coupee Parish genealogy records rank among the oldest in Louisiana, with marriage records dating to 1735, land records from 1780, and colonial French-era documents that make this one of the richest archives for family history research west of the Mississippi, all maintained by the Clerk of Court in New Roads where researchers must visit in person or submit mail requests since the parish does not currently offer an online records portal. This guide explains what is available and how to get it.
Pointe Coupee Parish Quick Facts
Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court
Hon. Lanell Swindler Landry is the Clerk of Court for Pointe Coupee Parish. The office is at the Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse in New Roads, the parish seat on the west bank of False River. The clerk maintains civil, criminal, and property records. There is no online records portal for Pointe Coupee Parish. All research requires an in-person visit or a mail request.
| Physical Address | 201 E. Main St., New Roads, LA 70760 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 38, New Roads, LA 70760 |
| Phone | (225) 638-9596 |
| Fax | (225) 638-9590 |
| lanell@pcclerk.org | |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
Recording fees at the Pointe Coupee Clerk's office are $105.00 for documents of 1 to 5 pages and $205.00 for 6 to 25 pages. Certified copies incur an additional fee beyond the base copy cost. Contact the office at (225) 638-9596 to confirm current fees and to ask about specific record availability before making a trip to New Roads.
Because the parish has no online portal and the clerk's office is a small operation, being as specific as possible about what you need will make the process faster. Know the names of all parties, the approximate year, and the type of record (marriage, succession, conveyance, etc.) before you call or write.
Search Pointe Coupee Parish Genealogy Records Online
Pointe Coupee Parish does not have a dedicated online records portal. Records are only available through in-person visits or mail requests to the Clerk's office in New Roads. However, several free online resources can support your research before you contact the courthouse.
The Louisiana Online Public Vital Records Index is free and searchable and includes Pointe Coupee Parish birth and death records that have passed the confidentiality window. Birth records more than 100 years old and death records more than 50 years old are accessible to the public under RS 40:41. This index can confirm a record exists before you request a certified copy.
FamilySearch maintains a free research guide for Pointe Coupee Parish that lists digitized and microfilmed collections including census records, church records, and some transcribed courthouse records. Because of the parish's colonial history, FamilySearch has indexed some French-period records for Pointe Coupee that predate standard courthouse registration. Genealogy Trails at genealogytrails.com/lou/pointecoupee also has free transcribed records and contributed family data for this parish.
Note: The eClerks LA system at eclerksla.com serves as the statewide Louisiana e-filing infrastructure. While Pointe Coupee Parish does not currently have a standalone online search portal, this platform may expand access for smaller parishes. Check eclerksla.com for updates on Pointe Coupee Parish online access.
Genealogy Records in Pointe Coupee Parish
Pointe Coupee Parish was created April 14, 1807, but the area it covers was settled under French rule well before that date. The name "Pointe Coupee" means "place of the cut-off," referring to a bend in the Mississippi River. The clerk's office holds records that reflect this colonial history, with marriage records beginning in 1735 and land and probate records from 1780. These are among the oldest continuous courthouse records in Louisiana.
Records held at the Pointe Coupee Clerk of Court and their approximate start dates:
- Marriage records: 1735 to present (among the oldest in Louisiana)
- Land records (French and Spanish land grants, U.S. conveyances): 1780 to present
- Probate and succession records: 1780 to present
- Court records: 1780 to present
Birth and death certificates for years within Louisiana's confidentiality periods go to the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. Certified copies can be ordered through VitalChek. For vital events before statewide registration began in 1914, church records and the colonial-era records at the parish clerk's office are the primary sources.
Louisiana State Archives and Pointe Coupee Parish
The Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge is particularly valuable for Pointe Coupee Parish researchers because of the parish's deep colonial history. The Archives holds microfilmed records, statewide vital record indexes, and supplementary collections that extend back to the French and Spanish periods. For families in Pointe Coupee before 1780, the Archives may be the only institutional source for documentation beyond church records.
The Archives reading room is open to the public. Staff can help identify relevant collections for colonial French Louisiana, including land grant records, notarial records, and census substitutes from the territorial period. Some Pointe Coupee Parish records have been microfilmed and may also be accessible through FamilySearch partner libraries.
Catholic church records for the Pointe Coupee area are another critical resource. The parish was predominantly Catholic from the colonial period onward, and church registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials predate the courthouse record system by decades. Diocese of Baton Rouge archives and the Archives of the Archdiocese of New Orleans may hold relevant sacramental registers for Pointe Coupee parishes.
The screenshot below shows the Genealogy Trails Pointe Coupee Parish page, which hosts free transcribed records and researcher-contributed genealogy materials.
Browse Genealogy Trails Pointe Coupee Parish for free transcribed records and family history materials for this colonial-era Louisiana parish.
Genealogy Trails hosts volunteer-contributed records including cemetery surveys, transcribed vital records, and other materials that supplement the official Pointe Coupee Clerk of Court holdings for family history research.
How to Request Pointe Coupee Parish Records
In-person research is the primary access method for Pointe Coupee Parish records. Visit the courthouse at 201 E. Main St. in New Roads during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Self-service research is available during those hours. Staff will help locate records by name and date. Bring photo ID and as much information as possible about the record you need.
Mail requests to P.O. Box 38, New Roads, LA 70760. Write a clear letter specifying the full names of all parties, the type of record, and the approximate year. Include prepayment by check or money order payable to Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court. Recording fees for copies run $105.00 for 1-5 pages and $205.00 for 6-25 pages. Call (225) 638-9596 or email lanell@pcclerk.org to confirm the cost and record availability before sending payment.
For vital records (birth and death certificates), contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. These do not come from the parish clerk's office. Certified copies can be ordered through VitalChek online or by mail to the state office. Processing times vary based on request volume.
What Pointe Coupee Parish Records Contain
Marriage records from 1735 in Pointe Coupee Parish make this one of the few Louisiana courthouses with pre-American colonial marriage documentation. These early records may be in French or Spanish and reflect the notarial practices of those governing periods. Post-1807 marriage records follow the standard Louisiana format naming both parties, their parents, the date and location of the ceremony, and the witnesses.
Land records from 1780 include French and Spanish land grants that document original property ownership patterns in this river-frontage area. U.S.-era conveyances and mortgages follow the same format as other Louisiana parishes. For colonial-era land, the descriptions are typically in arpents of river frontage, which was the standard measurement for properties along the Mississippi. These legal descriptions can help identify neighboring landowners, who were often family members.
Probate and succession records from 1780 are genealogically significant because of their detail. A succession file names the deceased and their heirs, states the relationship of each heir to the deceased, inventories assets and debts, and records the court's distribution order. For an 18th or early 19th century estate, this kind of documentation can be the most complete family record available from that period. Wills, when filed, are part of the succession record.
Court records from 1780 cover civil disputes, guardianships, and criminal matters. For Pointe Coupee's colonial period, court records may reflect the French and Spanish legal systems, which differed from American common law. Birth and death certificates from the American registration period name the child or deceased, parents, cause of death, and other identifying information. The informant named on a death certificate is usually a close relative and can open a new research direction.
The eClerks LA screenshot below shows the statewide portal that provides e-filing infrastructure for Louisiana parish clerk offices, including potential future access for Pointe Coupee Parish.
Check eClerks LA for current e-filing services available for Pointe Coupee Parish and updates on online access expansion.
eClerks LA is the statewide Louisiana e-filing platform, and while Pointe Coupee Parish currently lacks a standalone search portal, this infrastructure may support expanded online access in the future.
Cities in Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads is the parish seat and main community of Pointe Coupee Parish, located along False River. Other communities include Livonia, Morganza, and Maringouin. The nearest cities are Baton Rouge and Central in East Baton Rouge Parish.
For nearby resources, see Baton Rouge or Central.
Nearby Parishes
Pointe Coupee Parish is bounded by West Feliciana, East Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, and Avoyelles parishes, and the Mississippi River runs along its eastern edge. Families in colonial Pointe Coupee often had connections to West Feliciana and Avoyelles, where French and Spanish colonial settlement overlapped.