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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Soileau (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Soileau. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next parish to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the north.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring parishes instead of the parish in which they lived:  their home parish contained property and probate records; the parish to the west contained birth and death records; the parish to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Soileau is located in Saint Landry Parish.

To see how the shape of Louisiana's parishes may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following parishes adjoin and form the boundaries of Saint Landry Parish: Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee & Saint Martin.

Below are the parishes that are near Soileau. For each of these parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Soileau:

  • Saint Landry Parish     (The home parish of Soileau)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Washington
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Boretta
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Boretta is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boretta
    • Opelousas
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Lebeau
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Rosa is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosa
    • Immaculata
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Immaculata is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Immaculata
    • Lawtell
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Port Barre
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Morrow
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Palmetto
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Lewisburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Lewisburg is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
    • Leonville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Acadia Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Church Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Higginbotham
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Higginbotham is located in Acadia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginbotham
    • Branch
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Castille
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Castille is located in Acadia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castille
    • Ellis
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ellis is located in Acadia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
    • Rayne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Allen Parish
    • Bond
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Bond is located in Allen Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bond
  • Avoyelles Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Gold Dust
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Gold Dust is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Dust
    • Milburn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Milburn is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milburn
    • Eola
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Eola is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola
    • Evergreen
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Bunkie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Bunkie is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunkie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,826 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bunkie <1>
    • Hickory
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hickory is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
    • Dupont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dupont is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupont
    • Enterprise
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Enterprise is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
    • Cottonport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Plaucheville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Odenburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Odenburg is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odenburg
    • Hessmer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Evangeline Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Ville Platte
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Chataignier
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Landry
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mamou
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Mamou is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mamou
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,077 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mamou <1>
    • Bayou Chicot
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Bayou Chicot is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Chicot
    • Reddell
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Pine Prairie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Turkey Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Duralde
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Duralde is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duralde
    • Tyrone
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Tyrone is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
    • Unatex
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Unatex is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unatex
    • Basile
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Basile is located in Evangeline Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basile
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,791 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Basile <1>
  • Lafayette Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Carencro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Stekey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Stekey is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stekey
    • Ossun
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Ossun is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossun
    • Duson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Duson is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,761 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Duson <1>
    • Scott
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Scott is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,787 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Scott <1>
    • Lafayette
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Pointe Coupee Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • East Krotz Springs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • East Krotz Springs is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Krotz Springs
    • Ravenswood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Ravenswood is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenswood
    • Elliot City ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Elliot City is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliot City
    • Lottie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Legonier
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Legonier is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Legonier
    • Fordoche
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Batchelor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Innis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Lettsworth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Rapides Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Cheneyville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Loyd
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Loyd is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
  • Saint Martin Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.
    • Cecilia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Breaux Bridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Henderson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Soileau, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Soileau.

Cemeteries Near Soileau ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Soileau.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Soileau - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Soileau covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.

  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Hebrew Rest Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Old Grand Prairie Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Andrews Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Whipp Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Chimleyville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Frilot Cove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Soileaus Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Young Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Deville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Opelousas.
    • The St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Landry Cemetery
    • St. Landry Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1924120 <2>
  • Continue List   (163 more) ...
    • Green Chapel Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lafleur Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Atteles Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>

While we didn't find Soileau in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Soileau.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Soileau, with the one closest to Soileau listed first.

  • Plaisance
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Plaisance is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plaisance
  • Washington
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Beggs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Beggs is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beggs
  • Garland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Garland is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
  • Boretta
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Boretta is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boretta
  • Dubuisson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Dubuisson is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dubuisson
  • Opelousas
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Whiteville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Whiteville is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteville
  • Rosa
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosa is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosa
  • Port Barre
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Barbreck
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Barbreck is located in Saint Landry Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barbreck
  • Morrow
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Palmetto
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Big Cane
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Big Cane is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Cane
    • Leonville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Soileau. See our List of 1890's Communities around Soileau.

Newspapers Published in Soileau ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Soileau.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Soileau, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Soileau.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Soileau:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Soileau, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Soileau) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.