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If your family story winds through Louisiana, there’s a good chance it’s tucked somewhere among the pages of early colonial records. And thanks to a unique index referencing approximately 57,000 individuals, you can now take a meaningful first step toward uncovering those connections.
Spanning the 1600s through the 1800s, this index is more than just a name list—it’s a gateway. It draws from census records, family histories, immigration lists, and military rosters. And while it doesn’t contain the full text of those records, it points you to where the original information can be found. For anyone with roots in early Louisiana, this is the breadcrumb trail you’ve been waiting for.
What’s Included in the Index?
This collection brings together an impressive variety of source material, including:
- Census records – These early enumerations help locate families by parish and time period, and sometimes reveal household makeup, occupations, or landholdings.
- Family histories – Surnames in this index may point you to compiled genealogies or biographical sketches in local publications or archives.
- Military records – Includes references to service in colonial militias, the War of 1812, and other early American conflicts involving Louisiana.
- Immigration records – Tracks settlers arriving from France, Spain, Canada, the Caribbean, and Germany, many of whom entered through New Orleans.
These references open the door to deeper research, and each one tells you where to look next. That’s the key here: this is an index, not a complete database. It’s a roadmap—not the destination.
How to Use This Index Effectively
When you find a name that matches your ancestor—or even just a possibility—don’t stop there. Take that reference to your nearest genealogy library, historical society, or state archive. They’ll help you locate the full book or document where the original record resides. Some records may be available digitally, while others will require visiting an archive or requesting a lookup from a local historian or librarian.
You might discover:
- A family tree that includes generations you didn’t know existed.
- A marriage record in a long-forgotten parish.
- A land grant signed under Spanish authority.
- A burial location in one of Louisiana’s historic Catholic cemeteries.
- A military pension record with personal details about your ancestor’s service.
The index helps you find the right book, page, or document—like a table of contents to the story of your Louisiana ancestry.
Why Louisiana Records Stand Out
Louisiana’s early settlers came from a rich blend of cultures. The French were among the first European arrivals, followed by Spanish rule, and then the territory transitioned into American hands with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. That means recordkeeping was influenced by civil law, not the English common law tradition—resulting in detailed notarial records, unique legal customs, and a variety of languages in the records (French, Spanish, and eventually English).
You may also encounter ancestors connected to:
- Acadian (Cajun) migration after the 1755 expulsion from Nova Scotia
- German coast settlers brought in during the early 1700s
- Free people of color and mixed-race Creole communities
- Enslaved individuals listed in estate inventories or sales documents
- Haitian refugees arriving during the Haitian Revolution
Because of this rich cultural diversity, the index includes names that span continents and backgrounds—giving you a wider lens on your family’s past.
If you’ve hit a wall in your Southern research, or if Louisiana has always been a question mark in your family history, this index might be the push you need. It can help you focus your search, connect the dots between scattered clues, and most importantly—get closer to the lives of those who came before you.
And don’t worry if the names you’re researching are French, Spanish, or something in between. Louisiana’s archives are full of layered stories waiting to be found. Start here—with this index—and let it lead you to the rest of the story.
Additional Resources:
- Louisiana Census Records (Two Volumes) by Robert Bruce L. Ardoin
- Old Families of Louisiana Stanley C. Arthur and George Campbell Huchet de Kernion
- The Settlement of the German Coast of Louisiana and Creoles of German Descent
- Gulf Coast Colonials: A Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth-Century Louisiana by Winston De Ville
- Louisiana Colonials: Soldiers and Vagabonds Winston De Ville
- Louisiana Troops 1720-1770 by Winston De Ville
- The New Orleans French, 1720-1733: A Collection of Marriage Records Relating to the First Colonists of the Louisiana Province by Winston De Ville
- The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 Through 1732 by Charles R. Maduell, Jr
- Louisiana Soldiers in the War of 1812 by Marion John Bennett Pierson
- The Canary Islands Migration to Louisiana, 1778-1783 Sidney L. Villere