 desoto parish (french: paroisse desoto) is a parish located in the u.s. state of louisiana. as of the 2010 census, the population was 26,656. its seat is mansfield. the parish was formed in 1843. desoto parish is part of the shreveportâbossier city, la metropolitan statistical area. ==history== it is a typical misconception that the parish was named after hernando de soto, the spaniard who explored the future southeastern united states and discovered and named the mississippi river. the parish was in fact named after the unrelated marcel desoto, who led the first group of european settlers there, to a settlement historically known as bayou pierre.means, emilia gay griffith, and liz chrysler. desoto parish. arcadia publishing, 2011, p. 8. the parish's name is also commonly misspelled following the explorer's name as "de soto parish," but it is properly spelled following the settler's name as "desoto parish."http://www.desotoparishclerk.org/ the battle of mansfield was fought in desoto parish on april 8, 1864. general alfred mouton was killed in the fighting, but his position was carried forward by prince de polignac, a native of france. the battle is commemorated at the mansfield state historic site four miles south of mansfield off louisiana highway 175. the confederate victory prevented a planned union invasion thereafter of [[te
1843_establishments_in_Louisiana County_in_Ark-La-Tex DeSoto_Parish,_Louisiana Louisiana_parishes Parishes_in_Shreveport_a_Bossier_City_metropolitan_area Populated_places_established_in_1843