Arpent

An arpent is a French unit of land measurement, primarily used historically in French-speaking regions, particularly in colonial North America. It is roughly equivalent to an acre, though the exact size varied depending on the location and the specific type of arpent being used.

There are two main types of arpents: the arpent de Paris (Paris arpent) and the arpent usuel (common arpent). The arpent de Paris, also known as the arpent royal, was a legal standard and more widely used. The arpent usuel was a more local or customary measure.

The arpent can refer to either a unit of area or a unit of length. As a unit of area, the arpent is approximately 0.84 acres or 3419 square meters. As a unit of length, the arpent is a linear measure of about 192 French feet or 58.47 meters. This linear measure was often used to describe the width of land grants along rivers, resulting in long, narrow farm plots. The term "arpent" in land descriptions often refers to the area equivalent to a square with sides of one linear arpent.

The arpent system played a significant role in land surveying and land ownership patterns in areas such as Quebec, Louisiana, and other regions formerly under French influence. The use of the arpent system often resulted in distinctive elongated land divisions that are still visible on maps and in the landscape today. While no longer in common usage, the historical influence of the arpent system remains evident in place names, property lines, and historical documents.