County · code 29107
Lafayette CountyMissouri
Lafayette County is a county in Missouri with its seat in Lexington, formed in 1825.
- Founded1825
- County seatLexington
- Named forGilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
- Land area628 sq mi + 10 sq mi water
- Population32,984 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped22,997 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Lafayette on the map of Missouri
Missouri has 115 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1825 from Lillard County and Jackson County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Lafayette County was created on February 16, 1825, from Lillard County (extinct), and on the same day Jackson County was created from Lillard and attached to Lafayette for civil and military purposes. Jackson was fully organized and detached from Lafayette the following year in 1826. The county was named after Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette lost territory over subsequent decades as new counties were created from its lands, including Bates, St. Clair, Van Buren (now Cass), Johnson, Rives (now Henry), and Donaldson (extinct).
- 1825Lafayette County created Lafayette created from Lillard (extinct). Jackson created from Lillard (extinct); Jackson not fully organized, attached to Lafayette "for all civil and military purposes."from Lillardfrom Jackson· Mo. Laws Rev., 1825, ch.1, secs. 16, 30/pp. 237, 242
- 1826Changed Jackson fully organized, detached from Lafayette. · Mo. Laws 1826-1827, ch. 20, sec. 1/pp. 30-31
- 1833Lost territory Lafayette lost to creation of Bates, St. Clair, and Van Buren (now Cass). · Mo. Laws 1832-1833, pub., ch. 27, secs. 2-4/pp. 50-51
- 1834Lost territory Lafayette lost to creation of Johnson and Rives (now Henry). · Mo. Laws 1834-1835, priv. and loc., pp. 37-38
- 1847Lost territory Lafayette lost to creation of Donaldson (extinct); Donaldson not fully organized, part attached to Lafayette "for all civil and military purposes."to Donaldson· Mo. Laws 1846-1847, pub., p. 17
- 1849Changed Creation of Donaldson (extinct) repealed; Lafayette regained part of Donaldson (extinct) that it previously held.Donaldson· Mo. Laws 1848-1849, pub., p. 32
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Lafayette
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Fallback
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 22,997 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey. This copy is a fallback, not the county's own: use it as a guide and check the official record.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Lafayette County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Lafayette by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Permits
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Lafayette County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Lafayette County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Lafayette County
- When was Lafayette County founded?
- Lafayette County was founded in 1825, formed from Lillard County and Jackson County, and named after Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette.
- What is the county seat of Lafayette County?
- The county seat of Lafayette County is Lexington.
- Is there an online parcel map for Lafayette County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 22,997 parcels, rated fallback here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Lafayette County's boundary or name changed?
- Lafayette County was created in 1825 from Lillard County and Jackson County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Donaldson County, Bates County and Cass County.
- Who issues building permits in Lafayette County?
- The county's page on building permits: Applications, Permits & Fees. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Lafayette County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby