(This page's most recent update is April 2025)
Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Louisiana Free Online Institutional Records
- East Baton Rouge Parish, 1860 Census, Deaf Dumb and Blind Asylum and Louisiana Penitentiary
- East Baton Rouge Parish, Protestant Orphan Home Records 1848-1930
- East Baton Rouge Parish, St. Joseph’s Academy and Orphan Asylum
- East Feliciana Parish, 1880 Census-Insane Asylum of Louisiana
- East Feliciana Parish, East Louisiana State Hospital Cemetery
- East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana State Hospital for the Insane 1832-1849
- Jefferson Parish, Carrollton Orphan Asylum 1860 Census
- Jefferson Parish, St. Vincent’s Asylum (Orphanage) 1870 Census
- Livingston Parish, Hammond State School Cemetery
- Louisiana State Penitentiary Records, 1866-1963
- Louisiana, Men Received into Louisiana State Penitentiary in 1867
- Louisiana, Orphan Train Report
- Louisiana, Prisoners Recaptured in 1867
- Louisiana, State Penitentiary Prisoners Discharged in 1867
- Louisiana, State Penitentiary Prisoners Escaped in 1867
- Louisiana, State Penitentiary Prisoners Pardoned in 1867
- Louisiana, State Penitentiary Prisoners Who Died in 1867
- Louisiana, State Penitentiary Records, 1866-1963
- Louisiana, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
- New Orleans, Hospitals’ General Register of Patients, 1865
- New Orleans, Hotel Dieu Hospital, Hospital Register and Index, 1859-1899
- New Orleans, House of Refuge, Releases and Minutes, 1858-1870
- New Orleans, House of Refuge, Releases and Minutes, 1858-1870
- New Orleans, Record of the disposition of Orphans, 1852-1893
- New Orleans, Records of the Insane Asylum, 1858-1884
- New Orleans, Register of Indigent Insane; Records of Inmates, Entries and Releases; Louisiana Retreat, 1888-1912
- New Orleans, Register of Indigent Insane; Records of Inmates, Entries and Releases; Louisiana Retreat, 1888-1912
- New Orleans, Reports Relating to the Jewish Widows’ and Orphans’ Home, 1855 to 1861
- New Orleans. Charity Hospital Cemetery Records, 1847
- Orleans Parish, 1842 Lunatic Asylum Admissions
- Orleans Parish, 1845 Lunatic Asylum Admissions
- Orleans Parish, 1846 Lunatic Asylum Admissions
- Orleans Parish, 1847 Lunatic Asylum Admissions
- Orleans Parish, Association for the Relief of Jewish Widows & Orphans
- Orleans Parish, Boy’s House of Refuge
- Orleans Parish, Carrollton Orphan Asylum
- Orleans Parish, Catholic Male Orphan Asylum of the 3rd Municipality 1850 Census
- Orleans Parish, Children’s Home of the Protestant Episcopal Church of New Orleans
- Orleans Parish, Female Orphan Asylum Ward 2
- Orleans Parish, Female Orphan Asylum Ward 7
- Orleans Parish, Home for Destitute Orphan Girls – Catholic
- Orleans Parish, House of Refuge for Girls
- Orleans Parish, Insanity Exams by the City Physician – 1888
- Orleans Parish, Monastery Ursula & Asylum of the Poor
- Orleans Parish, Mt. Carmel Asylum
- Orleans Parish, New Orleans City Insane Asylum Record of Patients 1882
- Orleans Parish, New Orleans City Insane Asylum Record of Patients 1883
- Orleans Parish, New Orleans City Insane Asylum Record of Patients 1884, 1888
- Orleans Parish, New Orleans Insane Asylum, Record of next of kin, 1875-1877
- Orleans Parish, Orphan Asylum – New Orleans
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1883
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1884
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1885
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1886
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1897
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1898
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1889-1894
- Orleans Parish, Persons Adjudged to be Insane by Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, 1895-1896
- Orleans Parish, Registers of Indigent Insane, 1888-1912
- Orleans Parish, Society for the Relief of Destitute Boys – Protestant
- Orleans Parish, St. Elizabeth House of Industry – Catholic Orphan Asylum (Girls)
- Orleans Parish, St. Mary’s Asylum
- Orleans Parish, St. Vincent’s Infant, Orphan Asylum
- Orleans Parish, Ursuline Orphan Convent
- Orleans Parish, Ursuline Orphanage: Roll 1731
- Orleans Parish, Workhouse
- Orleans Parish, Description and Record of Insane Persons, 1900-1918
- Orleans Parish, List of Persons adjudged to be Insane by the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and Ordered to be Conveyed to the State Insane Asylum, at Jackson, Louisiana, 1882-1919
- Orleans Parish, Record Book, Insane Examinations; History of Indigent Insanes, 1909-1915
- Orleans, Parish, St. Anne’s Asylum or Widow’s Home – Protestant
- Orleans, Parish, St. Vincent’s Asylum (Orphanage)
- Ouachita Parish, G. B. Cooley Sanitarium Grounds
- Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana State Convict Camp 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Rapides Parish, Central Louisiana State Hospital Cemetery
- Shreveport, Genevieve Orphanage
- West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana State Prison Cemetery
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!