Arpent

Arpent

An arpent is the name given to a unit of length and to a unit of area. It is not an SI unit. It is used in Quebec as well as in some areas of the United States that were part of French Louisiana.

Definition

Unit of length

Unit of length
name=arpent (length)
m=58.4710893
accuracy=4

There were various standard arpents. The most common ones were of 180 french feet, used in French North America, and 220 French feet, used in Paris.

1 arpent = 180 French feet (of approximately 32 centimetres) = about 192 English feet = about 58.47 metres

Unit of area

* Historically, in North America, 1 (square) arpent = 32,400 French square feet = about 3419 square metres
* In Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, the official conversion is 1 arpent = convert|0.84628|acre|m2|sing=on = 3424.77365 square metres Fact|date=February 2007
* In Arkansas and Missouri, the official conversion is 1 arpent = convert|0.8507|acre|m2|sing=on = 3442.66076 square metres Fact|date=February 2007

Origin

The arpent was a pre-metric French unit. Its is based on the "actus", one of the Ancient Roman units of measurement.

Arpents in U.S. land descriptions (Louisiana)

In Louisiana, parcels of land known as "arpent" sections or French "arpent" land grants also pre-date the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), but are treated as PLSS sections. An "arpent" is a French measurement of approximately 192 feet (59 m), and a square arpent (also referred to as an "arpent") is about convert|0.84|acre|m2.

French arpent land divisions are long narrow parcels of land usually found along the navigable streams of southern Louisiana, and also found along major waterways in other areas. This system of land subdivision was begun by French settlers in the 1700s, according to typical French practice at the time and was continued by both the Spanish and by the American government after the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. A typical French arpent land division is 2 to 4 arpents wide along the river by 40 to 60 arpents deep, while the Spanish arpent land divisions tend to be 6 to 8 arpents wide by 40 arpents deep.

This method of land division provided each land-owner with river frontage as well as land suitable for cultivation and habitation. These areas are given numbers just like standard sections, although the section numbers frequently exceed the normal upper limit of 36. [http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/boundaries/a_plss.html The Public Land Survey System (PLSS)] ]

ee also

*French units of measurement
*Acre
*Morgen

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • arpent — [ arpɑ̃ ] n. m. • 1080; lat. arepennis, du gaul. 1 ♦ Ancienne mesure agraire qui valait cent perches, de 20 à 50 ares. « Il exploitait cent arpents de vigne » (Balzac). « ces deux nations sont en guerre pour quelques arpents de neige vers le… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • arpent — Arpent, m. acut. Est la grande mesure par laquelle sont mesurées les terres, vignes, prez, bois et autres heritages; lequel à mesure de Roy contient cent perches à vingt pieds pour perche, à douze pouces pour pied, et à douze lignes pour pouce,… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Arpent —   [ar pã], früheres französisches Feldmaß; 1 Arpent de Paris = 100 perches carrées = 34,18 a; Arpent commun: 42,2 a; Arpent légal oder d ordonnance: 51,07 a. 1 Arpent in Belgien: 32,9 a, in Kanada: 34,2 a.   …   Universal-Lexikon

  • arpent — ARPENT. s. m. Certaine étendue de terre, contenant ordinairement cent perches carrées de superficie. Un arpent de terre labourable. Un arpent de pré. Un arpent de vigne. Un arpent de bois. Un bois de tant d arpens. Un étang qui contient tant d… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Arpent — Ar pent, Arpen Ar pen, n. [F. arpent, fr. L. arepennis, arapennis. According to Columella, a Gallic word for a measure equiv. to half a Roman jugerum.] Formerly, a measure of land in France, varying in different parts of the country. The arpent… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • arpent — ARPENT. s. m. Certaine estenduë de terre contenant cent perches de superficie. Arpent de terre labourable. arpent de pré, de bois, de vigne. On dit fig. d Une personne qui a le visage fort long, qu Elle a le visage long d un arpent …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Arpent — (Arpent royal, fr., spr. Arpang, v. lat. Arapennis [Arpennis, Arpentum]), = 1/2 orgen Landes, das alte französische Landmaß zu 100 Q. Perches, die aber verschieden waren; gewöhnlich = 2 Berliner Morgen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Arpent — (spr. pāng), altfranz. Feldmaß von 100 perches carrées, hauptsächlich: A. de Paris = 34,189 Ar; A. d ordonnance oder légal = 51,072 Ar für Staatsgüter; A. commun = 42,208 Ar für viele Provinzen. In der Schweiz soviel wie Juchart …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Arpent — (spr. páng), altes franz. Feldmaß zu 100 Quadratperches = 34 51 a …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Arpent — (frz. Arpang), das altfranz. Flächenmaß, nicht überall von gleicher Größe; das königliche A. ungefähr 1/2 Are …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • arpent — àrpent m <G mn nātā> DEFINICIJA zast. francuska mjera za površinu zemlje (35 50 ari) ETIMOLOGIJA fr …   Hrvatski jezični portal

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