Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

Infobox U.S. County
county = Terrebonne Parish
state = Louisiana




founded year = 1822
founded date =
seat wl = Houma
largest city wl = Houma
area_total_sq_mi = 2080
area_total_km2 = 5387
area_land_sq_mi = 1255
area_land_km2 = 3250
area_water_sq_mi = 825
area_water_km2 = 2137
area percentage = 39.66%
census yr = 2000
pop = 104503
density_sq_mi = 83
density_km2
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web = www.tpcg.org
named for = "terre bonne," French for "good earth"|

Terrebonne Parish (Cajun French:"Paroisse Terrebonne") is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Houma. Its population is 104,503 (as of 2000). It is the second largest parish in Louisiana in terms of land area.

Terrebonne Parish is part of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Terrebonne Parish was formed in 1822 from part of Lafourche Parish. The name "Terrebonne" means "good earth" in French.

The parish has been run by the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government since it absorbed the powers of the City of Houma. The parish is lead by President Michel Claudet, elected in 2007.

Geography

The parish has a total area of 2,080 square miles (5,387 km²), of which, 1,255 square miles (3,250 km²) of it is land and 825 square miles (2,137 km²) of it (39.66%) is water.

Major highways

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Adjacent parishes

*Assumption Parish (north)
*Lafourche Parish (east)
*Gulf of Mexico (south)
*St. Mary Parish (northwest)

National protected area

* Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

USCensusPop
title=
1790=
1800=
1810=
1820=
1830=
1840=
1850=
1860=
1870=
1880=
1890=
1900= 24464
1910= 28320
1920= 26974
1930= 29816
1940= 35880
1950= 43328
1960= 60771
1970= 76049
1980= 94393
1990= 96982
2000= 104503
estimate= 109348
estyear= 2006
estref= [cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22109.html|title=Terrebonne Parish Quickfacts|author=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-02-02]
footnote=Terrebonne Parish Census Data [cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Louisiana Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|author=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-02-02] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 104,503 people, 35,997 households, and 27,393 families residing in the parish. The population density was 83 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 39,928 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 74.07% White, 17.79% Black or African American, 5.29% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 10.66% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 1.5% speak Spanish. [http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=22&county_id=109&mode=geographic&zip=&place_id=&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r]

There were 35,997 households out of which 39.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.90% were non-families. 19.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the parish the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $35,235, and the median income for a family was $39,912. Males had a median income of $34,869 versus $20,705 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $16,051. About 15.80% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 17.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Houma is the only incorporated city in Terrebonne Parish.

Unincorporated communitie include:
*Bayou Cane
*Bourg
*Chauvin
*Cocodrie
*Dulac
*Gibson
*Gray
*Montegut
*Schriever

Education

Terrebonne Parish School District serves residents of the parish.

Media

The parish was setting of the 2005 motion picture "The Skeleton Key". (the movie was not actually filmed in Houma, or Terrebonne Parish.)

ee also

* USS "Terrebonne Parish" (LST-1156)
* Terrebonne Parish French

References

External links

* [http://www.tpcg.org Official site]
* [http://www.tpsd.org Terrebonne Parish School District]
* [http://www.tpso.net Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office]
* [http://www.houmatoday.com Houma Today] (website of "The Courier" newspaper)