Genealogy

Tour of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Grand Coteau

St. Landry Parish is fortunate to have archival records dating back to the early 1800s and welcomes visitors to research their family history through several resources open to the public.

Louisiana is the only state to have parishes rather than counties because it was officially Roman Catholic under both France and Spain’s rule. These land territories coincided with church parishes until 1807. At that time, the legislature adopted the ecclesiastical term.

The Imperial St. Landry Genealogical & Historical Society has an active membership that meets monthly with periodic workshops and seminars. The public is invited to attend. Members are happy to assist with research that may answer some of your family’s questions about various people and surnames.

On the first and second weekends of October, St. Landry Catholic Church conducts cemetery tours in order to help preserve the gravesites. Plan your trip to see some of the parish’s “older” residents come to life and tell their story through reenactments.

Eunice also has genealogical records in their public library available for you to browse. Located in their scenic downtown just a few steps away from Café Mosaic, you can grab Rêve roasted coffee for a studious afternoon and a musical evening.

Another great resource for those tracing their family’s history across St. Landry Parish is Saint-Luc’s French Immersion. This burgeoning cultural institution and French Immersion facility in Arnaudville has a repository of oral histories, family records, and cultural artifacts.