St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana | |
---|---|
St. Martin Parish Courthouse, St. Martinville | |
Location in the state of Louisiana | |
Louisiana's location in the U.S. | |
Founded | 1807 |
Named for | St. Martin |
Seat | St. Martinville |
Largest city | Breaux Bridge |
Area | |
• Total | 816 sq mi (2,113 km2) |
• Land | 738 sq mi (1,911 km2) |
• Water | 79 sq mi (205 km2), 9.7% |
Population | |
• (2010) | 52,160 |
• Density | 71/sq mi (27/km²) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Website |
www |
St. Martin Parish (French: Paroisse de Saint-Martin) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,160.[1] The parish seat is St. Martinville.[2] The parish was founded in 1807.[3]
St. Martin Parish is part of the Lafayette, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. 27% of the population of St. Martin Parish have French fluency, rated as one of the highest concentrations of French speakers in the nation.
History
The parish is split into two noncontiguous parts, because of a surveying error dating to 1868, when Iberia Parish was created by the Louisiana Legislature. St. Martin has the highest percentage of French-speaking residents of any county or parish in the United States.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 816 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 738 square miles (1,910 km2) is land and 79 square miles (200 km2) (9.7%) is water.[4] Iberia Parish divides St. Martin Parish into two separate areas, Upper and Lower St. Martin.
Major highways
Adjacent parishes
- St. Landry Parish (north)
- Pointe Coupee Parish (northeast)
- Iberville Parish (east)
- Assumption Parish (southeast)
- St. Mary Parish (southwest)
- Lafayette Parish (west)
- Iberia Parish (south of Upper St. Martin/north of Lower St. Martin)
National protected area
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1830 | 7,205 | — | |
1840 | 8,674 | 20.4% | |
1850 | 11,761 | 35.6% | |
1860 | 12,674 | 7.8% | |
1870 | 9,370 | −26.1% | |
1880 | 12,663 | 35.1% | |
1890 | 14,884 | 17.5% | |
1900 | 18,940 | 27.3% | |
1910 | 23,070 | 21.8% | |
1920 | 21,990 | −4.7% | |
1930 | 21,767 | −1.0% | |
1940 | 26,394 | 21.3% | |
1950 | 26,353 | −0.2% | |
1960 | 29,063 | 10.3% | |
1970 | 32,453 | 11.7% | |
1980 | 40,214 | 23.9% | |
1990 | 43,978 | 9.4% | |
2000 | 48,583 | 10.5% | |
2010 | 52,160 | 7.4% | |
Est. 2014 | 53,315 | [5] | 2.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1] |
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 48,583 people, 17,164 households, and 12,975 families residing in the parish. The population density was 66 people per square mile (25/km²). There were 20,245 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 65.95% White, 31.98% Black or African American, 0.92% Asian, 0.29% Native American, 0.20% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 0.83% of the population. The 2000 census counted 44,915 people in the parish who are at least five years old of whom 31,229 (69.5%) speak only English at home, 27.44% reported speaking French (Colonial French also known as Plantation Society French ) or Cajun French at home, while 1.52% speak Louisiana Creole French.
There were 17,164 households out of which 39.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.40% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the parish the population was spread out with 29.50% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $30,701, and the median income for a family was $36,316. Males had a median income of $30,701 versus $18,365 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,619. About 18.40% of families and 21.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 22.10% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public schools in St. Martin Parish are operated by the St. Martin Parish School Board.
Communities
- Breaux Bridge
- Cade
- Cecilia
- Henderson
- Parks
- St. Martinville (parish seat)
Notable people
- Ali Landry, Miss USA 1996 pageant winner (actually from Nina Station)
- Bob Angelle, mayor
- Scott Angelle, member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, former lieutenant governor, unsuccessful candidate for governor in 2015
- Drauzin Angelle, chief deputy in 1924
- Lottie Beebe, superintendent of St. Martin Parish public schools; member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Calvin Borel, American Thoroughbred Jockey and 3-time Kentucky Derby winner
- Gerald Boudreaux, state senator for St. Martin Parish, effective January 2016
- Jake Delhomme, quarterback for the NFL's Cleveland Browns
- Charles Fuselier, sheriff of St. Martin Parish from 1980 to 2003; "National Sheriff of the Year" in 1996
- Jesse J. Guidry, state representative, former director of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Mike "Pete" Huval, state representative; former member of the St. Martin Parish Council
- Jeff Landry, former U.S. representative; candidate for Attorney General of Louisiana in November 21 general election, opposing incumbent Buddy Caldwell
- Wade O. Martin, Jr., secretary of state.
- Wade O. Martin, Sr., Louisiana public service commissioner.
- James D. Simon, state senator
- Sam Irwin, author, Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean; Press Secretary - Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (2008-2012).
See also
References
- 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ "St. Marin Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana. |
Geology
- Heinrich, P. V., and W. J. Autin, 2000, Baton Rouge 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle. Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
St. Landry Parish and Iberia Parish (Lower St. Martin) | Pointe Coupee Parish | |||
Lafayette Parish | Iberville Parish | |||
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St. Mary Parish | Iberia Parish (Upper St. Martin) | Assumption Parish |
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Coordinates: 30°08′N 91°37′W / 30.13°N 91.61°W