Evangeline Parish was created on January 1, 1911 , from St Landry Parish and the parish was named in honor of the Acadian heroine of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow . The Parish seat is Ville Platte .
It is borderd by Rapides Parish (north), Avoyelles Parish (northeast), St. Landry Parish (east), Acadia Parish ( south), Allen Parish (west) . Cites, Towns and Communities include Basile, Chataignier, Mamou, Pine Prairie, Bayou Chicot, Turkey Creek, Ville Platte, Lone Pine, Saint Landry . The Official Parish Website is located at http://www.evangelineparish.com/ .
In 1890, there were almost no roads and few bridges causing the distance of 30-40 miles to the parish seat of Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, a hardship for many people to travel to pay their taxes, attend court, etc. Talk began of forming a new parish from St. Landry. In 1908, one of the political issues was the formation of a new parish. P. L. Fontenot, from Ville Platte, LA, introduced a bill requesting the formation of this new parish. This new bill passed the house and on January 1, 1911.
Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1911, Land Records from 1911, Probate Records from 1911 and Marriage Records from 1911 and is located at 200 Court Street, Suite 104, P O Drawer 347, Ville Platte, LA 70586, (337) 363-5671, (337)363-5780 Fax .
The Clerk of Court for each parish in Louisiana performs the functions of more than one office. As the Recorder, the office of the Clerk of Court receives, files, records and indexes all mortgages, conveyances and all other instruments recorded in the Public Records for the Parish. The Clerk’s Office receives and files all pleadings, such as petitions, answers, motions and other filings in Civil and Probate matters, as well as indictments, bills of information and other filings in Criminal matters. The Clerk’s Office also handles special Juvenile matters and Criminal Neglect cases. Another function of the Clerk’s Office is the issuance of Marriage Licenses and recording their returns after the marriages are performed.
You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does cover Louisiana and does cover surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
Tax records are a valuable but little-used source. Almost everything was taxed: household and personal goods, livestock, slaves, and property. Tax lists can be used as a substitute census, to create complete neighborhoods for a neighborhood study, establish relationships, locate land, and so on. Unfortunately, most of these lists no longer exist in Louisiana, but those that are extant are usually found in the tax assessor's office.
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Court Records. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Court Records by clicking the link below:
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
Vital Records Registry Office of Public Health, 325 Loyola Avenue, P.O. Box 60630. New Orleans, LA 70160; Tel: 504-568-5150 504- 568-5152 (automated) is the repository for all Louisiana Birth Certificates less than 101 years old and all Louisiana Death Certificates less than 51 years old. Existing records of births which occurred in Louisiana more than 100 years ago or deaths which occurred more than 50 years ago are maintained by the Louisiana State Archives. They have the following records:
Order By Mail: SUBMIT APPLICATION, COPY OF STATE OR FEDERAL PHOTO ID AND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO: Vital Records Registry, P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Please do not send cash in the mail. IF NO RECORD IS FOUND, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AND FEES WILL BE RETAINED FOR THE SEARCH PER R.S. 40:40. See LOUISIANA VITAL RECORDS REGISTRY OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS SERVICE FEES for current cost of all documents.
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Vital Records by clicking the link below:

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable
Parishwide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Evangeline Parish, Louisiana are 1910, 1920 and 1940. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.
Statewide Records that exist for Louisiana are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940. After the 1803 purchase of Louisiana it became an American possession; therefore, the first federal census report taken for the state was 1810.
Caution should be used particularly with the AIS indexes for Louisiana. Many of the French and Spanish names were transcribed wrong and numerous omissions exist. Many of these population schedules have been published. See Louisiana Census Records. Volume I: Avoyelles and St. Landry Parishes, 1810 and 1820 & Louisiana Census Records. Volume II: Iberville, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, and Rapides Parishes, 1810 and 1820 by Robert Bruce L. Ardoin & The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 Through 1732 by Charles R. Maduell, Jr. These books are on 1 Family Archive CD
As early as 1860 the federal government began attempts to identify Native Americans. In 1900 and 1910 it created a special Indian schedule. The first page was the same as the population census only it had “Indian Population” as its heading. The second page provided for such important information as: tribal affiliation, the tribe of each parent, the person's Indian blood quantum, and—if not full blooded —their precise racial mixture. These schedules will be found at the end of the ward or district in which the Native American resided.
There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890.
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Census Records. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Census Records by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Maps. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Maps by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Military Records. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Military Records by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
There are many churches and cemeteries in Evangeline Parish. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Evangeline Parish Tombstone Transcription Project.
Most Catholic church registers are still in the local parish church. Many of them have been translated and published.
The recording of cemetery inscriptions in Louisiana has long been a project of the DAR and numerous genealogical societies. Genealogical publications continually print these inscriptions in their issues.
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
For periods before the advent of civil registration of vital statistics, Louisiana church records rank as the best available sources for information on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and death. Louisiana bible records is a good primary source for genealogy research and information. You will find many different Louisiana surnames listed in many of these Bibles which include old photos, obituaries and other facts such as birth and death dates.
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Below is a list of online resources for ????? Parish Cemetery & Church Records. EMAIL US with websites links to ????? Parish Cemetery & Church Records.
Below is a list of online resources for Evangeline Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Evangeline Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below: