The U.S. state of Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes in the same way that 48 of the other states of the United States are divided into counties (Alaska is divided into boroughs and census areas).
Forty-one parishes are governed by a council called the Police Jury. The other twenty-three have various other forms of government, including: president-council, council-manager, parish commission, and consolidated parish/city.
Louisiana was formed from French and Spanish colonies, which were both officially Roman Catholic. Local government was based upon parishes, as the local ecclesiastical division (French: paroisse or Spanish: parroquia). Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the Territorial Legislative Council divided the Territory of Orleans (the predecessor of Louisiana state) into twelve counties. The borders of these counties were poorly defined, but they roughly coincided with the colonial parishes, and hence used the same names.[1]
On March 31, 1807, the territorial legislature divided the state into 19 parishes without abolishing the old counties (which continued to exist until 1845).[2]
In 1811, a constitutional convention was held to prepare for Louisiana's admission into the Union.[3] This organized the state into seven judicial districts, each consisting of groups of parishes. In 1816, the first official map of the state used the term, as did the 1845 constitution. Since then, the official term for Louisiana's primary civil divisions has been parishes.
| Parish |
FIPS Code [4] |
Parish seat [5] |
Established [5] |
Origin |
Etymology [6] |
Population [5] |
Area [5] |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Parish | 001 | Crowley | 1886 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | Named for the Acadians. | 58,861 | 1,703 sq mi (4,411 km2) |
 |
| Allen Parish | 003 | Oberlin | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | Henry Watkins Allen, the Confederate governor of Louisiana | 25,440 | 1,983 sq mi (5,136 km2) |
 |
| Ascension Parish | 005 | Donaldsonville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Named for the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville, Louisiana | 76,627 | 784 sq mi (2,031 km2) |
 |
| Assumption Parish | 007 | Napoleonville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Named for the Assumption Roman Catholic Church, the oldest in the state | 23,388 | 944 sq mi (2,445 km2) |
 |
| Avoyelles Parish | 009 | Marksville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | The Avoyel Native American people | 41,481 | 2,242 sq mi (5,807 km2) |
 |
| Beauregard Parish | 011 | DeRidder | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | Confederate general P. G. T. Beauregard | 32,986 | 3,020 sq mi (7,822 km2) |
 |
| Bienville Parish | 013 | Arcadia | 1848 | from part of Claiborne Parish. | Named after the founder of the city of New Orleans, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville | 15,752 | 2,128 sq mi (5,511 km2) |
 |
| Bossier Parish | 015 | Benton | 1843 | from part Claiborne Parish. | U.S. Representative Evariste Bossier | 98,310 | 2,245 sq mi (5,815 km2) |
 |
| Caddo Parish | 017 | Shreveport | 1838 | from part of Natchitoches Parish. | Named for the Caddo Native American people | 252,161 | 2,427 sq mi (6,286 km2) |
 |
| Calcasieu Parish | 019 | Lake Charles | 1840 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | Calcasieu, meaning crying eagle, is said to be the name of an Atakapa Native American leader | 183,577 | 2,834 sq mi (7,340 km2) |
 |
| Caldwell Parish | 021 | Columbia | 1838 | from part of Catahoula Parish and Ouachita Parish. | Named for the locally prominent Caldwell family | 10,560 | 1,400 sq mi (3,626 km2) |
 |
| Cameron Parish | 023 | Cameron | 1870 | from parts of Calcasieu Parish and Vermilion Parish. | U.S. Secretary of War Simon Cameron | 9,991 | 5,003 sq mi (12,958 km2) |
 |
| Catahoula Parish | 025 | Harrisonburg | 1808 | from parts of Ouachita Parish and Rapides Parish. | Catahoula Lake, formerly within the parish's boundaries (now within LaSalle Parish) and named from a Tensas word meaning big, clear lake | 10,920 | 1,915 sq mi (4,960 km2) |
 |
| Claiborne Parish | 027 | Homer | 1828 | from part of Natchitoches Parish. | Governor of Louisiana William C. C. Claiborne | 16,851 | 1,988 sq mi (5,149 km2) |
 |
| Concordia Parish | 029 | Vidalia | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Name is of uncertain origin and may be from an early land grant called New Concordia, from the "concord" reached by local authorities over a mutual surrender of slaves or for a mansion called Concord which was owned by Governor de Lemos | 20,247 | 1,939 sq mi (5,022 km2) |
 |
| De Soto Parish | 031 | Mansfield | 1843 | from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto | 25,494 | 2,317 sq mi (6,001 km2) |
 |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 033 | Baton Rouge | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | French phrase bâton rouge meaning red stick. A red stick was used by local Native Americans to mark the boundaries between tribal territories | 412,852 | 1,219 sq mi (3,157 km2) |
 |
| East Carroll Parish | 035 | Lake Providence | 1877 | when Carroll Parish was divided. | Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence | 9,421 | 1,144 sq mi (2,963 km2) |
 |
| East Feliciana Parish | 037 | Clinton | 1824 | when Feliciana Parish was divided. | Felicite de Gálvez, the wife of Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish governor of the Louisiana Territory | 21,360 | 1,180 sq mi (3,056 km2) |
 |
| Evangeline Parish | 039 | Ville Platte | 1910 | from part of St. Landry Parish. | Acadian heroine of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | 35,434 | 1,760 sq mi (4,558 km2) |
 |
| Franklin Parish | 041 | Winnsboro | 1843 | from parts of Carroll Parish, Catahoula Parish, Madison Parish and Ouachita Parish | Founding Father Benjamin Franklin | 21,263 | 1,646 sq mi (4,263 km2) |
 |
| Grant Parish | 043 | Colfax | 1869 | from parts of Rapides Parish and Winn Parish. | U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant | 18,698 | 1,721 sq mi (4,457 km2) |
 |
| Iberia Parish | 045 | New Iberia | 1868 | from parts of St. Martin Parish and St. Mary Parish. | Named by Spanish settlers in honor of the Iberian Peninsula | 73,266 | 2,670 sq mi (6,915 km2) |
 |
| Iberville Parish | 047 | Plaquemine | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, the brother of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville | 33,320 | 1,691 sq mi (4,380 km2) |
 |
| Jackson Parish | 049 | Jonesboro | 1845 | from parts of Claiborne Parish, Ouachita Parish and Union Parish | U.S. President Andrew Jackson | 15,397 | 1,503 sq mi (3,893 km2) |
 |
| Jefferson Parish | 051 | Gretna | 1825 | from part of Orleans Parish | Founding Father Thomas Jefferson | 455,466 | 1,664 sq mi (4,310 km2) |
 |
| Jefferson Davis Parish | 053 | Jennings | 1912 | from part of Calcasieu Parish. | Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America | 31,435 | 1,706 sq mi (4,419 km2) |
 |
| Lafayette Parish | 055 | Lafayette | 1823 | from part of St. Martin Parish. | Marquis de la Fayette | 190,503 | 700 sq mi (1,813 km2) |
 |
| Lafourche Parish | 057 | Thibodaux | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Interior Parish until 1812 and Lafourche Interior Parish until 1853. | French phrase la fourche or in English, the fork; Bayou Lafourche, or Fork Bayou, is a fork of the Mississippi River | 89,974 | 3,813 sq mi (9,876 km2) |
 |
| La Salle Parish | 059 | Jena | 1908 | from part of Catahoula Parish. | Explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle | 14,282 | 1,716 sq mi (4,444 km2) |
 |
| Lincoln Parish | 061 | Ruston | 1873 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Claiborne Parish, Jackson Parish and Union Parish. | Abraham Lincoln | 42,509 | 1,223 sq mi (3,168 km2) |
 |
| Livingston Parish | 063 | Livingston | 1832 | from part of St. Helena Parish. | U.S. Secretary of State Edward Livingston | 91,814 | 1,820 sq mi (4,714 km2) |
 |
| Madison Parish | 065 | Tallulah | 1838 | from Concordia Parish. | U.S. President James Madison | 13,728 | 1,685 sq mi (4,364 km2) |
 |
| Morehouse Parish | 067 | Bastrop | 1844 | from parts of Carroll Parish and Ouachita Parish. | Early settler Abraham Morehouse | 31,021 | 2,085 sq mi (5,400 km2) |
 |
| Natchitoches Parish | 069 | Natchitoches | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | The Natchitoches Native American people | 39,080 | 3,365 sq mi (8,715 km2) |
 |
| Orleans Parish | 071 | New Orleans | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Today coterminous with the City of New Orleans. | Named after the Duke of Orléans, the regent of France | 484,674 | 907 sq mi (2,349 km2) |
 |
| Ouachita Parish | 073 | Monroe | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | The Ouachita Native American people. | 147,250 | 1,639 sq mi (4,245 km2) |
 |
| Plaquemines Parish | 075 | Pointe a la Hache | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | A word meaning persimmons created from the Louisiana Creole French and the Mobile Native American language | 26,757 | 6,290 sq mi (16,291 km2) |
 |
| Pointe Coupee Parish | 077 | New Roads | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | French phrase la pointe coupée or in English, the place of the cut-off | 22,763 | 1,530 sq mi (3,963 km2) |
 |
| Rapides Parish | 079 | Alexandria | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Named for local river rapids (French: rapides) | 126,337 | 3,527 sq mi (9,135 km2) |
 |
| Red River Parish | 081 | Coushatta | 1871 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | Named for Red River, which is part of the Mississippi River watershed | 9,622 | 1,041 sq mi (2,696 km2) |
 |
| Richland Parish | 083 | Rayville | 1868 | from parts of Carroll Parish, Franklin Parish, Morehouse Parish and Ouachita Parish. | Named for its rich land | 20,981 | 1,462 sq mi (3,787 km2) |
 |
| Sabine Parish | 085 | Many | 1843 | from parts of Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish. | Named for the Sabine River and the so-called Sabine Free State | 23,459 | 2,620 sq mi (6,786 km2) |
 |
| Saint Bernard Parish | 087 | Chalmette | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint Bernard; presumably the patron saint of Bernardo de Galvez who granted land to the Canary Islanders who settled the area in 1778 while Louisiana was under Spanish rule. The Parish was previously named Terre-aux-Boeuf, "Land of Oxen" because of large herds of bison that once inhabited the area | 67,229 | 4,646 sq mi (12,033 km2) |
 |
| Saint Charles Parish | 089 | Hahnville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint Charles | 48,072 | 1,062 sq mi (2,751 km2) |
 |
| Saint Helena Parish | 091 | Greensburg | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | Saint Helena | 10,525 | 1,060 sq mi (2,745 km2) |
 |
| Saint James Parish | 093 | Convent | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint James | 21,216 | 668 sq mi (1,730 km2) |
 |
| Saint John the Baptist Parish | 095 | Edgard | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint John the Baptist | 43,044 | 901 sq mi (2,334 km2) |
 |
| Saint Landry Parish | 097 | Opelousas | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint Landry | 87,700 | 2,432 sq mi (6,299 km2) |
 |
| Saint Martin Parish | 099 | Saint Martinville | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. | Saint Martin | 48,583 | 2,115 sq mi (5,478 km2) |
 |
| Saint Mary Parish | 101 | Franklin | 1811 | from part of St. Martin County. | Saint Mary. | 53,500 | 1,585 sq mi (4,105 km2) |
 |
| Saint Tammany Parish | 103 | Covington | 1810 | from West Florida territory. | Legendary Indian Chief Tamanend. | 191,268 | 2,911 sq mi (7,539 km2) |
 |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 105 | Amite | 1868 | from parts of Livingston Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Washington Parish. | Comes from an Acolapissa word meaning ear of corn or those who gather corn | 100,588 | 2,132 sq mi (5,522 km2) |
 |
| Tensas Parish | 107 | Saint Joseph | 1843 | from part of Concordia Parish. | The Tensas or Taensa Native American people. | 6,618 | 1,661 sq mi (4,302 km2) |
 |
| Terrebonne Parish | 109 | Houma | 1822 | from part of Lafourche Parish. | French phrase terre bonne or in English, good land | 104,503 | 5,387 sq mi (13,952 km2) |
 |
| Union Parish | 111 | Farmerville | 1839 | from part of Ouachita Parish. | Named for the union of states which make up the U.S. | 22,803 | 2,345 sq mi (6,074 km2) |
 |
| Vermilion Parish | 113 | Abbeville | 1844 | from part of Lafayette Parish. | Both the Vermilion River and Vermilion Bay | 53,807 | 3,984 sq mi (10,319 km2) |
 |
| Vernon Parish | 115 | Leesville | 1871 | from parts of Natchitoches Parish, Rapides Parish and Sabine Parish. | Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, the first U.S. President | 52,531 | 3,474 sq mi (8,998 km2) |
 |
| Washington Parish | 117 | Franklinton | 1819 | from part of St. Tammany Parish. | U.S. President George Washington | 43,926 | 1,751 sq mi (4,535 km2) |
 |
| Webster Parish | 119 | Minden | 1871 | from parts of Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish and Claiborne Parish. | U.S. statesman Daniel Webster | 41,831 | 1,593 sq mi (4,126 km2) |
 |
| West Baton Rouge Parish | 121 | Port Allen | 1807 | One of the original 19 parishes. Was named Baton Rouge Parish until 1812. | French phrase bâton rouge meaning red stick. A red stick was used by local Native Americans to mark the boundaries between tribal territories | 21,601 | 527 sq mi (1,365 km2) |
 |
| West Carroll Parish | 123 | Oak Grove | 1877 | when Carroll Parish was divided. | Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence | 12,314 | 933 sq mi (2,416 km2) |
 |
| West Feliciana Parish | 125 | Saint Francisville | 1824 | when Feliciana Parish was divided. | Felicite de Gálvez, the wife of Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish governor of the Louisiana Territory | 15,111 | 1,051 sq mi (2,722 km2) |
 |
| Winn Parish | 127 | Winnfield | 1852 | from parts of Catahoula Parish, Natchitoches Parish and Rapides Parish. | Louisiana state legislator Walter Winn | 16,894 | 2,478 sq mi (6,418 km2) |
 |
The thirteen counties defined by the Territorial Legislative Council in 1803 were:
In addition, Feliciana County was established in 1810 from West Florida territory.
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