Louisiana Probate Records

Louisiana Wiki Topics

Beginning Research

Guided Research Research Strategies Record Finder

Record Types

Adoption Bible Records Biography Cemeteries Census Church Records Colonial Records Correctional Institutions Court Records Crime & Punishment Directories Emigration & Immigration Genealogies Land & Property Military Records Naturalization & Citizenship Newspapers Notarial Records Obituaries Online Collections Periodicals Probate Records Taxation Vital Records Voter Records

Louisiana Background

Biography Further Reading Gazetteers History Law & Legislation Maps Migration

Cultural Groups

African Americans Indigenous Peoples Cultural Groups Swedish American

Local Research Resources

Archives & Libraries Societies Find a FamilySearch center

United States

U.S. Probate Records

Louisiana

Probate Records

Online Resources

• 1804-1846 Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files, 1804-1846 at Family Search - How to Use this Collection; images only
• 1805-1920 Louisiana, Orleans Parish Will Books, 1805-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
• Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files, 1804-1846 ($), index.
• Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files 1804-1846 ($), index.
• Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files, 1804-1846 ($), index.
• Louisiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1756-1984 ($), index and images, incomplete.
• Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters,Index to registration of foreign born persons, 1880-1916, index.
• Full-Text Search - Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

History

Probate records before 1845 were kept in probate courts. Since 1845, they have been kept by the clerk of the district court in each parish. Many of the probate records are included in the notarial records with the deeds and mortgages. In some parishes they are known as “succession” records.

The FamilySearch Library has copies of many Louisiana probate files. For example, the library has 900 microfilms from New Orleans courts. These include:

• successions (1805-1926),
  
• will books (1807-1920),
  
• inventories (1805-77), and
  
• minutes (1819-46).
  

Most of the pre-1880 files have been indexed.

The succession and probate records 1804-1849 are found online at FamilySearch. See Historical Records Collections below for more information about this record collection.

In addition, succession records 1846-1880 are available on film. These records are indexed. FS Library Film 500471 Item 6 (first of 543 films)

See also Louisiana Notarial Records.

A wiki article describing this collection is found at:

• Louisiana, Orleans Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
  
• Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records
• Louisiana, Orleans Parish Second District Judicial Court Case Files - FamilySearch Historical Records