Parent Company Financial Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income
Gain on extinguishment of debt									$ 552
Interest income	$ 17,464	$ 16,957	$ 16,741	$ 16,928	$ 17,064	$ 16,895	$ 16,541	$ 13,588	68,090	$ 64,088	$ 45,393
Expense
Interest expense									5,831	5,157	3,867
Share-based compensation									1,092	993	533
Income before income taxes	5,410	6,051	6,084	6,686	6,695	5,171	4,687	(2,839)	24,231	13,714	17,838
Income tax expense									8,882	4,749	6,997
Dividends and accretion on preferred stock			(70)		(168)				(70)	(168)	(898)
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 3,478	$ 4,002	$ 3,730	$ 4,069	$ 4,184	$ 3,429	$ 2,949	$ (1,765)	15,279	8,797	9,943
Heritage Oaks Bancorp
Income
Dividends from subsidiaries									10,000	10,000	25,309
Gain on extinguishment of debt									450
Interest income									17	16	19
Total income									10,467	10,016	25,328
Expense
Interest expense									540	499	167
Share-based compensation									294	211	133
Other professional fees and outside services									573	737	1,169
Total expense									1,407	1,447	1,469
Income before income taxes									9,060	8,569	23,859
Income tax expense									(395)	(576)	(347)
Net income before equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries									9,455	9,145	24,206
Equity in undisbursed income of subsidiaries									5,894	(180)	(13,365)
Dividends and accretion on preferred stock									(70)	(168)	(898)
Net income available to common shareholders									$ 15,279	$ 8,797	$ 9,943