The word double describes a specific relationship inside one building: two shotgun units arranged side by side. That historic organization still matters, but it does not by itself tell you whether a property functions today as two residences, one converted home or something in between.
Written by Ryan Roberts
Ryan Roberts is a New Orleans real estate agent focused on shotgun homes and historic residential property.
What defines a double shotgun house?
A traditional double shotgun contains two complete shotgun units within one building, with a party wall separating the residences from front to rear. National Register documentation describes each side as a separate living unit.
Each side traditionally follows the basic logic of a shotgun floor plan. Rather than using a central hallway to distribute people into separate rooms, rooms are arranged sequentially along the length of the unit.
The word double therefore does not simply mean a larger or wider shotgun house. It describes a particular configuration in which two shotgun dwellings are joined laterally within the same building.
A double is one variation of the broader shotgun house building type. What distinguishes it is the relationship between the two units: two parallel shotgun plans, one shared building and traditionally a dividing wall running between them.
- —Two shotgun units sit beside one another.
- —A central party wall traditionally divides the units.
- —Each side has its own front-to-rear room sequence.
- —Each side traditionally functions as its own residence.
- —Both units form one larger building.
A double shotgun is two parallel shotgun dwellings within one building, traditionally divided from front to rear.
Separate entrances are also common in traditional New Orleans doubles because each side was intended to function independently. The exterior may therefore appear relatively symmetrical, with one entrance serving each half of the building.
These characteristics describe the traditional form, not necessarily the interior of every double shotgun that survives today. New Orleans doubles have been altered for generations, and some now function very differently from the buildings originally constructed.
How is a double shotgun house laid out?
A traditional double-shotgun floor plan places two narrow, linear dwelling units beside one another, with the rooms on each side extending from the front of the property toward the rear.
The exact number and function of the rooms varies from house to house. The defining feature is not a fixed count of bedrooms, parlors or kitchens. It is the parallel relationship between two shotgun units and the linear organization within each one.
Each side follows its own front-to-rear room sequence while the two sequences run beside one another.
| Part of building | Typical arrangement | What it can indicate |
|---|---|---|
| Left unit | Separate entrance and sequence of rooms | One dwelling within the double |
| Right unit | Separate entrance and sequence of rooms | One dwelling within the double |
| Center division | Shared wall or original party wall | Separation between units |
| Front façade | Paired doors or symmetrical openings | Two original residential entrances |
| Rear | Kitchens, service space or additions | Later changes often concentrate here |
A traditional double is therefore effectively two narrow circulation paths running next to one another. Someone entering one side historically moved through that unit's rooms toward the rear without needing to cross into the adjoining residence.
Modern renovations can change this substantially. Walls may have been opened, halls introduced, kitchens moved, bathrooms enlarged or the two sides connected. The current floor plan of a property should therefore not be assumed from its historical building type alone. The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans has documented many examples where traditional shotgun plans were substantially reorganized for modern living.
What is the difference between a single and double shotgun house?
A single shotgun contains one narrow dwelling unit, while a double shotgun combines two shotgun units side by side within the same building.
There is also a third term that can cause confusion: the double-width shotgun. A double-width shotgun refers to one wider residence rather than two separate shotgun units.
| Feature | Single shotgun | Double shotgun | Double-width shotgun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional dwelling units | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Basic form | One narrow shotgun | Two shotguns side by side | One wider shotgun residence |
| Central party wall | No | Traditionally yes | Not a defining feature |
| Street entrances | Usually one | Commonly two | Varies |
| Interior organization | One linear plan | Two parallel linear plans | One wider residential plan |
The difference between a double shotgun and a double-width shotgun is therefore not simply measurement. It is the organization of the building.
A double shotgun contains two dwellings. A double-width shotgun contains one wider dwelling.
New Orleans architectural writing has used the double-width term specifically for a single structure roughly twice the width of a conventional shotgun, while distinguishing the double shotgun as a two-family building sharing a central wall.
This also explains why identifying a shotgun from its façade alone can be misleading. Width provides a clue, but the internal configuration and historical organization of the building determine what type of property it actually is.
Is a double shotgun house a duplex?
A traditional double shotgun functions as a duplex because it contains two separate residential units, but double shotgun and duplex are not interchangeable architectural terms.
A duplex tells you that a building contains two dwelling units. It does not tell you how those units are arranged.
A double shotgun is more specific. It describes two shotgun dwellings arranged side by side within one building, historically divided by a party wall. National Park Service documentation describes the double shotgun as a two-family form with two shotgun houses beside one another.
Every traditional double shotgun is a type of two-unit building, but not every duplex is a double shotgun.
A duplex might have one unit above another, two units arranged differently across a wider building or a floor plan that has nothing to do with the shotgun form.
The distinction between building type and architectural style matters here too. The City of New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission separates building types such as the Shotgun, Creole Cottage and Townhouse from architectural styles such as Italianate, Eastlake and Greek Revival.
A double shotgun can therefore have Eastlake, Italianate, Colonial Revival or other stylistic details while remaining a double shotgun by building type.
How can you recognize a double shotgun house?
A traditional double shotgun can often be recognized by a paired façade that reflects two narrow residences positioned beside one another.
- —Two street-facing entrances
- —Two narrow sides arranged in parallel
- —A unified roof or overall building envelope
- —A center line corresponding to the division between the original units
- —Similar or mirrored façade elements on each side
The two entrances are one of the easiest visual clues, but they are not proof by themselves. Entrances can be removed, relocated or retained after an interior conversion.
Likewise, symmetry is common rather than universal. National Register documentation from New Orleans shows that double-shotgun buildings can carry different architectural treatments while retaining the same underlying building type.
The safest way to understand a property is therefore to combine what the exterior suggests with the building's actual floor plan and history. That becomes especially important with converted doubles.
What is a converted double shotgun?
A converted double shotgun is a former two-unit double shotgun whose interior has been altered so the building functions as one larger residence.
In a traditional double, the center wall separates two independent living spaces. During a double-to-single conversion, openings can be made through that division so the two sides become parts of one floor plan.
The Preservation Resource Center describes this as a common renovation approach in New Orleans. Some conversions create only limited openings between the units, while others remove significant portions of the center wall to create larger living spaces.
A conversion does not necessarily remove every trace of the building's original configuration. Portions of the dividing wall, fireplaces, separate doors or the paired façade may remain even though the interior functions as one home.
A conversion can change how the building lives without erasing every visible trace of its double-shotgun origin.
That creates an important distinction: historic building type and current residential configuration are not always the same thing.
A property can still be recognizable as a double shotgun by its underlying form while functioning today as a single residence.
Why were double shotgun houses built in New Orleans?
Double shotguns adapted the narrow shotgun form into a building capable of housing two households within one wider structure.
The configuration made practical use of the long, relatively narrow lots that characterize many parts of historic New Orleans. Parkview Historic District National Register documentation, for example, describes residential lots there as relatively narrow and deep, while identifying double shotguns as a substantial part of the neighborhood's historic building stock.
The double also allowed the basic shotgun plan to be repeated rather than replaced. Instead of designing an entirely different multi-unit building, two familiar linear dwellings could be placed next to each other and joined by a central wall.
Historically, those two sides could serve different arrangements. Both could be rented, an owner might occupy one and rent the other, or members of an extended family could live next door to one another while retaining separate living spaces. Preservation Resource Center histories of individual New Orleans doubles document several of these patterns.
The result was not one standardized appearance. New Orleans doubles were built in different periods and decorated in different styles.
That variety is still visible across different New Orleans neighborhoods, where lot patterns, architectural details, renovation histories and housing stock can change substantially from one area to another.
Are all double shotgun houses still two-unit homes?
No. A double shotgun may have been constructed as two separate residences but later converted into one home.
That is why the phrase double shotgun can describe the historical building type without necessarily describing the property's current use.
The same historic form can remain a two-unit property or be reorganized as one residence.
The exterior may offer little indication of how extensive that conversion has been. A converted property can retain paired front doors and a symmetrical double-shotgun façade while having a substantially different interior.
The reverse assumption is also risky. A building that appears to be one home from the street should not automatically be treated as a converted double without understanding its actual layout and history.
For a particular New Orleans property, the current number of legal or permitted dwelling units is also a separate question from architectural classification. Historical form alone should not be used to determine zoning, permitted use or the legal status of a unit.
Why does the double-shotgun layout matter when buying one?
The double-shotgun configuration matters to a buyer because the building's historical form and its present-day floor plan may tell two different stories.
A buyer looking at an intact double may be evaluating two largely independent living areas. Someone looking at a converted double may instead be evaluating how successfully two former units were joined into one home.
That changes the questions worth asking about the property. Where does the original dividing wall remain? How do the bedrooms connect to the living areas? Are both former front entrances still used? Has one of the original kitchens been removed? Have portions of the building been reorganized into hallways, bathrooms, closets or larger common rooms?
The answers can make two houses described in listings as “double shotguns” function very differently.
The building type also does not replace property-specific due diligence. Current layout, condition, renovations, permits, inspections, permitted use and neighborhood context still need to be understood individually. The guide to buying a shotgun home in New Orleans goes deeper into those property-level questions.
The same distinction becomes useful when comparing asking prices. A functioning two-unit property, a partially converted building and a fully renovated single-family double may all share the same historical building type without belonging to the same practical competitive set.
Once the configuration is clear, looking at shotgun homes currently for sale in New Orleans makes those differences easier to see in real properties.
The key difference to remember
A double shotgun is not simply a big shotgun house.
It is a particular configuration of the shotgun building type: two shotgun units are placed side by side, traditionally separated by a continuous party wall, with each side originally functioning as its own living unit.
From that basic relationship, the rest of the building makes sense. A single shotgun has one unit. A double has two parallel units. A double-width shotgun is one wider residence. A converted double began with two units but now functions internally as one home.
For New Orleans real estate, that last distinction is often the most useful one. The historical type tells you how the building was organized. The property that exists today tells you how it actually lives.
Building type gives the starting point; current layout, use, condition and documentation complete the picture.
Common questions about double shotgun houses
Is a double shotgun house two separate homes?
It was traditionally built as two separate dwelling units, but a surviving double may now operate as two residences, one converted residence or a combination that requires property-level review.
Can a double shotgun be a single-family home?
Yes. Many doubles have been converted into one residence by opening or reorganizing the relationship between the two original sides.
Do double shotguns always have two kitchens?
Traditional two-unit doubles often had a kitchen or service area on each side, but renovations may remove, combine or relocate those kitchens. A listing label is not enough to answer the question for a particular property.
Are double shotguns more valuable than single shotguns?
There is no automatic premium based only on the word double. Value depends on location, condition, renovation quality, current configuration, permitted use, income potential and the competitive set in the current shotgun market.
Is a camelback double still a shotgun?
A camelback double combines the side-by-side double relationship with a partial second story toward the rear. It remains part of the broader shotgun family, but the relationship between the upper level and the two original units should be evaluated in the individual property.
Key takeaways
- 01A double shotgun is two shotgun dwelling units arranged side by side within one building.
- 02The central party wall and parallel front-to-rear room sequences are more important than a fixed room count or perfectly symmetrical façade.
- 03A double-width shotgun is one wider residence, not two shotgun units, and a duplex is a broader two-unit category.
- 04Historic form and current residential configuration can diverge when a double has been converted into one home.
- 05For a New Orleans property, layout, use, permits, condition, neighborhood and market context still require individual review.
References
- 01The geography of the shotgun house
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
- 02The skinny on shotguns
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
- 03Shotgun house history
Tulane School of Architecture
- 04What is a shotgun house?
Shotgun Homes New Orleans
- 05New Orleans neighborhoods with shotgun homes
Shotgun Homes New Orleans
- 06How buyers evaluate a double before offering
Shotgun Homes New Orleans
- 07Shotgun homes for sale in New Orleans
Shotgun Homes New Orleans
- 08Asking prices for doubles and singles
Shotgun Homes New Orleans
My methodology
Open each item to see the scope, definitions and limits behind the article.
Terminology+
This article uses double shotgun to describe a building type: two shotgun units arranged side by side within one building. Double-width shotgun and duplex are treated as related but distinct terms.
Historic form and current use+
The article separates the way a building was originally organized from the way it functions today. A historic double may remain two units, be converted into one residence or require more property-level documentation to classify its current use.
Property interpretation+
Exterior clues such as paired doors or symmetry are treated as evidence to investigate, not proof of the number of legal units. Current layout, renovations, permits, inspections, permitted use, condition and neighborhood context must be reviewed for an individual property.
Scope+
This is an explanatory article about the double shotgun building type and its New Orleans context, not a structural inspection, historic designation opinion, appraisal or legal determination about an individual property.