Census Records

 When the first settlers arrived in today's Terrebonne Parish area at the end of the 18th century, the land belonged to Spain. The Terrebonne area was considered part of Lafourche Interior. Several censuses were taken along Bayou Lafourche in the 1780's and 1790's.

Louisiana, which became U.S. territory in 1803, was first included in a Federal census in 1810. The Terrebonne Parish area was included in the Lafourche Parish section. The same thing happened in 1820. Terrebonne Parish was created in 1822 out of the southwest portion of Lafourche. The 1830 Terrebonne Parish census only contained the names of the heads of household and the numbers of males and females (in age groupings). The 1840 census was recorded in the same way. But in 1850 (and subsequent censuses), names and ages for all household members were recorded.