Dr. John R. Swanton, a linguist who worked with Native American languages, suggested that the name Manchac is derived from Imashaka, which is a Choctaw word meaning "the rear entrance.

In the year 1871 Willie moved to Manchac with his family and built a house near a section of high ground that the locals called Jones Island.

Manchac was raided in February 1778 by American forces under the command of James Willing[7]—see related articles, Continental Marines and USS Morris.

[8] When the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern railroad was commissioned in 1852, Manchac was one of the stations originally planned, which were generally at ten-mile intervals.

Also located here is the Port Manchac Distribution Center, with storage facilities and rail, truck, and water links to the east, west, and north.