Louisiana

De Soto

26,812
2020 population
1850
first census record
18
census records

About De Soto

De Soto, Louisiana, first appears in the United States federal census in 1850, when it recorded a population of 8,023. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 26,812.

Its recorded population peaked at 31,803 in 1940, and has since declined by roughly 16 percent.

On the ground today, 13 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Belcher Mound Conflict – Louisiana, Spanish Establishment of Los Adaes 1721, DeSoto Parish Guerrilla Resistance, and 28 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202026,812
201026,656
200025,494
199025,346
198025,727
197022,764
196024,248
195024,398
194031,803
193031,016
192029,376
191027,689
190025,063
189019,860
188015,603
187014,962
186013,298
18508,023
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in De Soto

Military engagements that took place in De Soto, Louisiana.

Belcher Mound Conflict – Louisiana
1300
Spanish Establishment of Los Adaes 1721
1721
DeSoto Parish Guerrilla Resistance
1864
Battle of Mansfield (Sabine Cross Roads)
1864
Battle of Mansfield
1864
Sabine Crossroads — Artillery Rout
1864
Battle of Sabine Crossroads (Mansfield)
1864
Sabine Crossroads Pursuit
1864
Red River Campaign — Battle of Sabine Crossroads (Mansfield)
1864
Action at Logansport (DeSoto Parish)
1864
Mansfield Louisiana
1864
Moss Plantation Skirmish — Mansfield
1864
Battle of Mansfield (Sabine Crossroads) – Texas-Louisiana approach
1864

Historic places in De Soto

National Register of Historic Places listings in De Soto, Louisiana.

DeSoto Parish Courthouse
Mansfield
Keachi Baptist Church
Keachi
Myrtle Hill Plantation House
Gloster
Mansfield Battle Park
Mansfield
Scott, Thomas, House
Gloster
Longstreet Rosenwald School
Longstreet
Grand Cane United Methodist Church
Grand Cane
Keachi Presbyterian Church
Keachi
Guy House
Mansfield
Keachi United Methodist Church
Keachi
Liberty Lodge No. 123, F & A M
Keachi
Community Rosenwald School
Grand Cane
Oaks, The
Keachi
Browse all Louisianahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Louisiana

Explore census history and historic records for more Louisiana counties.

VernonWashingtonWebsterWest Baton RougeWest CarrollWest FelicianaWinnAcadiaAllenAscensionAssumptionAvoyellesBeauregardBienvilleBossierCaddoCalcasieuCaldwellCameronCatahoula
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Everything a full report reveals about De Soto County, Louisiana

This page charts the census history of De Soto County, Louisiana. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about De Soto

When does De Soto first appear in the US census?
De Soto, Louisiana first appears in the federal census in 1850, with a recorded population of 8,023.
What is the population of De Soto?
At the most recent federal census (2020), De Soto had a recorded population of 26,812.
When did De Soto's population peak?
De Soto's recorded population peaked at 31,803 in 1940.
Were any battles fought in De Soto?
13 documented military engagements took place in De Soto, including Belcher Mound Conflict – Louisiana, Spanish Establishment of Los Adaes 1721, DeSoto Parish Guerrilla Resistance.
How many historic places are in De Soto?
28 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in De Soto, Louisiana.
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