What Is Arpent?
An arpent is an old French unit that was used to measure land. It can mean a unit for area, like how big a field is, or a unit for length, like how long a side of land is. Today people mostly see the word arpent in old documents, maps, and land records in places that once belonged to France.
Definition
In most cases an arpent means a unit of area used to measure land. One common type called the Paris arpent is about 3,400 square meters. This is a little smaller than one acre. So you can think of one arpent of land as being almost the size of one acre of land.
The word arpent can also mean a unit of length. One length arpent was usually a little more than 70 meters long. This is a bit longer than a soccer field is wide. The exact size changed from place to place, which is why it is no longer used in modern science.
History / Origin
The arpent comes from old France. It was used long before the metric system existed. Farmers, land owners, and rulers used arpents to measure fields, forests, and village lands. Different French regions created their own local versions, so one arpent in one town was not always the same as an arpent in another town.
When France controlled parts of North America, such as Quebec and Louisiana, French settlers brought the arpent system with them. They used it to cut long, narrow farms along rivers so that each farm had some river front. When the metric system and other modern units like meters and acres became standard, the arpent slowly stopped being used in everyday life, but it stayed in old land records and maps.
Symbol & Abbreviation
There is no single official symbol for the arpent, because it is an old unit that was never part of the modern metric system.
- It is usually written in full as arpent.
- Sometimes people write arp in old plans or surveys.
- To avoid confusion, many writers now also explain it in modern units like square meters or acres.
Current Use Around the World
Today the arpent is not a legal or official unit in most countries. Modern laws and science use square meters, hectares, and acres instead. However the arpent is still important in a few ways.
- Canada In Quebec many old farms and village lots were measured in arpents. Land historians and surveyors still see the word in old deeds and maps.
- United States In parts of Louisiana and some nearby areas with French history, you can still find property descriptions written in arpents of frontage and depth.
- France and Europe In modern France people almost always use metric units, but the word arpent can appear in historical texts and museum displays.
In daily life most people do not need to know the exact value of an arpent, but it matters when reading old land records or studying history.
Example Conversions
Because the size of an arpent changed from region to region, these conversions are only approximate. They are based on the common Paris arpent for area and a common value for length.
Area arpent to modern units
- 1 arpent of area is about 3,400 square meters.
- 1 arpent of area is about 0.85 acre.
- 1 acre is about 1.2 arpents.
- 1 hectare is about 2.9 arpents.
Length arpent to modern units
- 1 arpent of length is about 70 to 72 meters.
- 1 arpent of length is about 230 to 235 feet.
Always check which type of arpent and which region is meant when you work with real land records.
Related Units
- Square meter The basic metric unit for area. Used worldwide for land and building size.
- Hectare Equal to 10,000 square meters. Common for measuring farms and forests. One hectare is almost three arpents of area.
- Acre A common land unit in the United States and some other countries. One arpent is a little smaller than one acre.
- Foot and meter Modern length units that replace old length units like the arpent of length.
- Perch or rod Old length and area units that were often linked to the arpent in historical systems.
FAQs
Is an arpent a unit of area or length
It can be either. In most land records an arpent is a unit of area, similar to an acre. In some older systems it is also used as a unit of length, similar to a strip of land that is one arpent long.
How big is one arpent in acres
One common arpent of area, the Paris arpent, is about 0.85 acre. This means it is a bit smaller than a full acre.
How many square meters are in one arpent
Using the Paris value, one arpent of area is about 3,400 square meters. This is a rough value, since local versions were a little different.
Is the arpent still used today
The arpent is not used in modern science or law, but it is still seen in old property deeds, maps, and historical studies in places with French roots such as Quebec and Louisiana.
Why did people stop using the arpent
People stopped using the arpent because it was not the same everywhere, which caused confusion. The metric system made measurements clear and standard, so most countries replaced old units like the arpent with meters, hectares, and other fixed units.
What should I do if my land deed uses arpents
If your land deed uses arpents, you can ask a land surveyor or local land office to help convert the old measurements into modern units like meters, hectares, or acres. They will know which local type of arpent was used in your area.