The ability to determine the ward designation for a given address in New Orleans is essential to research in census and voter registration records. Ward boundaries have changed several times during the course of the city's history. This guide is designed to help researchers place addresses into their appropriate wards. Ward boundaries as described in this document are approximate in some cases. Researchers are advised to consult one or both of the maps provided below. More detailed ward maps, as well as maps for other years, are available at the Louisiana Division.

When the city of New Orleans was incorporated in 1805 the wards were established as follows:

• Ward 1--St. Peter, Bourbon, Elysian Fields, & the River
• Ward 2--Canal, Bourbon, St. Peter, & the River
• Ward 3--St. Peter, N. Rampart, Elysian Fields, & Bourbon
• Ward 4--Canal, N. Rampart, St. Peter, & Bourbon
• Ward 5--Howard Ave., Dryades, Canal, & the River
• Ward 6--upriver from Howard Ave.
• Ward 7--downriver from Elysian Fields

In 1812, the year of Louisiana statehood, the ward boundaries of New Orleans were reset as follows:

• Ward 1--Canal, N. Rampart, Conti, & the River
• Ward 2--Conti, N. Rampart, St. Peter, & the River
• Ward 3--St. Peter, N. Rampart, St. Philip, & the River
• Ward 4--St. Philip, N. Rampart, Esplanade, & the River
• Ward 5--Esplanade, St. Claude, Almonaster, & the River (also the area along the River downriver from Almonaster)
• Ward 6--Howard Ave., S. Rampart, Canal, & the River
• Ward 7--uptown from Howard Ave.
• Ward 8--lakeside of N./S. Rampart

In 1836 New Orleans was subdivided into three separate municipalities, each with its own constituent wards. The boundaries were as follows:

• First Municipality
  • Ward 1--Canal, Basin, St. Louis, & the River
  • Ward 2--St. Louis, N. Rampart, St. Peter, & the River
  • Ward 3--St. Peter, N. Rampart, St. Philip, & the River
  • Ward 4--St. Philip, N. Rampart, Esplanade, & the River
  • Ward 5--Canal, Basin/N. Rampart, Esplanade/Bayou St. John, & the Lake
• Second Municipality
  • Ward 1--Poydras/New Basin Canal, the Lake, Canal, & the River
  • Ward 2--Howard/New Basin Canal, Poydras, & the River [a triangular ward]
  • Ward 3--Felicity, the Lake, Howard/New Basin Canal, & the River
• Third Municipality
  • Ward 1--Esplanade, [irregular Northern boundary], Elysian Fields, & the River
  • Ward 2--Elysian Fields, [irregular Northern boundary], Almonaster, & the River
  • Ward 3--Almonaster, N. Dorgenois, St. Bernard Parish Line, & the River
  • Ward 4--Esplanade/Bayou St. John, [irregular Southern boundary], the Lake, & St. Bernard Parish Line

In 1847 ward boundaries within the three municipalities changed as follows:

• First Municipality
  • Ward 1--Canal, Basin, St. Louis, & the River
  • Ward 2--Canal, City Park Ave., St. Louis, & N. Rampart
  • Ward 3--St. Louis, N. Rampart, St. Peter, & the River
  • Ward 4--St. Peter, N. Rampart, St. Philip, & the River
  • Ward 5--St. Louis, City Park Ave., St. Philip, & N. Rampart
  • Ward 6--St. Philip, N. Rampart, Esplanade, & the River
  • Ward 7--St. Philip/Bayou St. John/City Park Ave., New Basin Canal, the Lake, & Bayou St. John/Esplanade
• Second Municipality
  • Ward 1--Felicity, Magazine, Thalia, & the River
  • Ward 2--Felicity, Thalia, & Magazine [a triangular ward]
  • Ward 3--Thalia, Camp, Julia, & the River
  • Ward 4--Thalia, the Lake, New Basin Canal/Julia, & Camp
  • Ward 5--Julia, St. Charles, Canal, & the River
  • Ward 6--Julia, S. Rampart, Canal, & St. Charles
  • Ward 7--Julia/New Basin Canal, the Lake, Canal, & S. Rampart
• Third Municipality
  • Ward 1--Esplanade, [irregular Northern boundary], Elysian Fields, & the River
  • Ward 2--Elysian Fields, [irregular Northern boundary], Almonaster, & the River
  • Ward 3--Almonaster, N. Dorgenois, St. Bernard Parish Line, & the River
  • Ward 4--Esplanade/Bayou St. John, [irregular Southern boundary], the Lake, & St. Bernard Parish Line

In 1852 the city of New Orleans was consolidated into a unified city once again. At the same time, the city of Lafayette (formerly part of Jefferson Parish) became part of New Orleans. The new ward boundaries were as follows:

• Ward 1--Felicity, Thalia, & the River [a triangular ward]
• Ward 2--Thalia, the Lake, Julia/New Basin Canal, & the River
• Ward 3--Julia/New Basin Canal, the Lake, Canal, & the River
• Ward 4--Canal, City Park Ave., St. Louis, & the River
• Ward 5--St. Louis, City Park Ave., Bayou St. John/St. Philip, & the River
• Ward 6--St. Philip/Bayou St. John/City Park Ave., the Lake, Bayou St. John/Esplanade, & the River
• Ward 7--Esplanade/Bayou St. John, the Lake, Elysian Fields, & the River
• Ward 8--Elysian Fields, the Lake, Almonaster, & the River
• Ward 9--Almonaster, the Lake, St. Bernard Parish Line, & the River
• Ward 10 (formerly in Jefferson Parish)--First, Felicity, & the River [a triangular ward]
• Ward 11 (formerly in Jefferson Parish)--Toledano, Carrollton, First, & the River.

These boundaries have remained more or less the same since 1852. New wards were added as the city grew through annexation and several boundary "adjustments" took effect between 1852 and 1880. The post-1852 changes are described below:

1870

• Jefferson City (formerly part of Jefferson Parish) was annexed to New Orleans, resulting in three new wards:
  • Ward 12--Napoleaon, Toldedan, & the River [a triangular ward]
  • Ward 13--Jefferson, Napoleon, & the River [a triangular ward]
  • Ward 14--Lowerline, __, Jefferson, & the River.
• Algiers (the "right bank" of the Mississippi River in Orleans Parish) became part of the city as Ward 15

1874

• Carrollton (formerly part of Jefferson Parish) was annexed to New Orleans, resulting in two new wards:
  • Ward 16--Carrollton, __, Lowerline, & the River
  • Ward 17--Jefferson Parish line, the Lake, the New Basin Canal, & the River

1878

• The portions of Wards 12 & 13 between Broad and the Lake were transferred to Ward 14.

1880

• The portion of Ward 6 bounded by City Park Ave., the New Basin Canal, the Lake, and Orleans was transferred to Ward 4.
• The portion of Ward 6 bounded by City Park Ave., Orleans, the Lake, and Bayou St. John was transferred to Ward 5.
• As a result of the above-noted transfers, Ward 6 now has a nothern boundary at Bayou St. John.

See a map of the wards in 1880.

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[November 17, 1996--wme]