Vermilion Parish () is a

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, created in 1844. The

parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equivalent term, shire town, is used in ...

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

. Vermilion Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area, and located in southern

Acadiana Acadiana (; French language, French and Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane'' or ''Acadiane''), also known as Cajun Country (Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''Pays des Cadiens''), is the official name given to the ...

. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,359. In the past several decades, much of the southern portion of the parish has been swept away by water erosion, especially after

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

and

Hurricane Rita Hurricane Rita was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Gulf of Mexico, tying with Hurricane Milton in 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, 2024, as well as being the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Part of the ...

in 2005.

History

Indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

lived in the area for thousands of years, from different cultures. By historic times, the Chitimacha and

Atakapa The Atakapa Sturtevant, 659 or Atacapa were an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, who spoke the Atakapa language and historically lived along the Gulf of Mexico in what is now Texas and Louisiana. They included several distinct b ...

inhabited the area and were the American Indians encountered by

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

and French explorers and settlers. The tribes' numbers were drastically reduced as a result of exposure to European diseases. French, Spanish, enslaved

Africans The ethnic groups of Africa number in the thousands, with each ethnicity generally having their own language (or dialect of a language) and culture. The ethnolinguistic groups include various Afroasiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Sahara ...

, and French-Canadians from

Acadia Acadia (; ) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. The population of Acadia included the various ...

expelled after the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

won by

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

, had all entered the area by the end of the 18th century. As the population became mostly

Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the US state of Louisiana and surrounding Gulf Coast states. Whi ...

, the primary language was French for years. In the mid- to late 19th century, they were joined by European Americans; immigrants from

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, recruited to work on the plantations, as well as

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

immigrants from

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and eastern Europe, who tended to settle in towns and become merchants.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the parish has a total area of , of which is land and (24%) is water. It is the fifth-largest parish in Louisiana by total area. The

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

is located to the south of the parish.

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 167 * Louisiana Highway 13 * Louisiana Highway 14 * Louisiana Highway 82 * Louisiana Highway 89 * Louisiana Highway 91 * Louisiana Highway 92 * Louisiana Highway 330 * Louisiana Highway 331 * Louisiana Highway 338 * Louisiana Highway 339 * Louisiana Highway 343

Adjacent parishes

* Acadia Parish (north) *

Lafayette Parish Lafayette Parish () is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. According to the 2020 U.S. census, the parish had a population of 241,753, up from 221,578 at the 2010 United States census. The parish seat and largest city is Lafayett ...

(northeast) *

Iberia Parish Iberia Parish (, ) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 69,929; the parish seat is New Iberia. The parish was formed in 1868 during the Reconstruction era and named for Iberia. It is p ...

(east) * Cameron Parish (west) * Jefferson Davis Parish (northwest)

Communities

Cities

(parish seat and largest municipality) * Kaplan

Towns

* Delcambre (part) * Erath * Gueydan * Maurice

Unincorporated communities

Andrew Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...

* Bancker * Boston * Bayou Tigre * Camille * Charogne * Chenier Au Tigre * Cossinade * Cow Island * Esther * Forked Island * Grosse Isle * Henry * Leblanc * Leroy * Indian Bayou * Intracoastal City * Laurents Point * Leleux * Leroy * Mack * Marceaux *

Meaux Meaux () is a Communes of France, commune on the river Marne (river), Marne in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, Franc ...

* Mouton Cove * Mulvey * Nunez * Pecan Island *

Perry Perry or pear cider is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally in England (particularly Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire), parts of South Wales, France (especially Normandy and Anjou), Canada, Austral ...

* Riceville * Rose Hill * Theall * Woodlawn * Wright * Youngs

Demographics

Home to a number of

peoples, at the 2000 U.S. census, there were 53,807 people, 19,832 households, and 14,457 families residing in the parish. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . At the 2019

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

, there were 59,865 people living in the parish, up from 57,999 at the 2010 U.S. census. By the 2020 United States census, there were 57,359 people, 22,086 households, and 15,143 families residing in the parish. In 2000, were 22,461 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the parish was 82.68%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 14.17% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.26% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races; 1.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American of any race; 24.89% reported speaking French or

Cajun French Louisiana French (Louisiana French: ''français louisianais''; ) includes the dialects and varieties of the French language spoken traditionally by French Louisianians in colonial Lower Louisiana. As of today Louisiana French is primarily use ...

at home, while 1.64% speak Vietnamese and 1.02%

. In 2019, the racial and ethnic makeup was 81.4% non-Hispanic white, 14.5% Black and African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. An estimated 3.5% of the population were Hispanic and Latin American of any race. At the 2000 U.S. census, there were 19,832 households, out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16. The 2019 American Community Survey determined there were 22,086 households and 26,586 housing units; there was a home-ownership rate of 77% and the median housing value was $122,200. The median gross rent from 2015 to 2019 was $685. In 2019, the median income for a household in the parish was $51,945; males had a median income of $53,658 versus $33,327 for females. About 21.3% of the children under 18 lived at or below the poverty line, and 17.6% of the total population was below the poverty line. The median income for a household in the parish was $29,500, and the median income for a family was $36,093 in 2000. Males had a median income of $31,044 versus $18,710 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the parish was $14,201. About 17.40% of families and 22.10% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 30.00% of those under age 18 and 21.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Vermilion Parish School Board has an official territory covering the entire parish. It operates most public schools in the parish. Schools serving Delcambre are located in Vermilion Parish but are operated by the

Iberia Parish School System The Iberia Parish School System is a school district headquartered in New Iberia, Louisiana, New Iberia, Louisiana, United States. The district serves all of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Iberia Parish. The city of Delcambre, Louisiana, Delcambre h ...

. The Vermilion Parish district pays money to the Iberia parish district to educate Delcambre students in Vermilion Parish.

Schools

Public Schools that are run by the Vermilion Parish School Board include: * Cecil Picard Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Maurice) * Dozier Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Erath) * Eaton Park Elementary (Grades PK-2) (Abbeville) * Forked Island - E. Broussard Elementary (Grades PK-8) (Abbeville) * Indian Bayou Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Rayne) * James A. Herod Elementary (Grades 3–5) (Abbeville) * Jesse Owens Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Gueydan) * Kaplan Elementary (Grades PK-4) (Kaplan) * Leblanc Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Abbeville) * Meaux Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Abbeville) * Seventh Ward Elementary (Grades PK-5) (Abbeville) * Erath Middle (Grades 6–8) (Erath) * J. H. Williams Middle (Grades 6–8) (Abbeville) * North Vermilion Middle (Grades 6–8) (Maurice) * Rene A. Rost Middle (Grades 5–8) (Kaplan) * Abbeville High School (Grades 9–12) (Abbeville) * Erath High School (Grades 9–12) (Erath) * Gueydan High (Grades 6–12) (Gueydan) * Kaplan High (Grades 9–12) (Kaplan) * North Vermilion High (Grades 9–12) (Maurice) Vermilion Parish is also served by the Diocese of Lafayette with three schools: * Maltrait Memorial School (Grades PK-8) (Kaplan) * Mt. Carmel Catholic School (Grades PK-8) (Abbeville) * Vermilion Catholic High School (Grades 9–12) (Abbeville) Additionally, Vermilion Parish is served by two unaffiliated private schools: * Harvest Time Christian Academy (Grades PK-12) (Abbeville) * Lighthouse Christian High School (Grades 9–12) (Abbeville) Vermilion Parish is served by one institution of higher education: * South Louisiana Community College service area, Gulf Area Campus (

)

Politics

For most of the 20th Century, Vermillion was a Democratic-leaning parish, voting Republican only in landslide elections such as

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

, and

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

. However, like other Acadian parishes with large

populations, the county has turned sharply right in the 21st century based on cultural issues and Democrats' discomfort with the oil and gas industry.

References

External links

* Heinrich, P. V., 2006
''White Lake 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''
Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. * Heinrich, P. V., J. Snead, and R. P. McCulloh, 2003
''Crowley 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''
Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. *
Vermilion Historical Society

Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office
{{Coord, 29.81, -92.31, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990 Louisiana parishes Parishes in Acadiana Acadiana 1844 establishments in Louisiana Populated places established in 1844 Articles containing video clips