Peoples Inc., a local bank holding company that split in two a couple of years ago, is coming back together.

Lawrence-based Peoples Inc., the holding company for Peoples Bank locations in Kansas and New Mexico, announced Wednesday that it would be merging with Peoples Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Peoples National Bank locations in Colorado. The merger takes effect April 1.

“This is a merging of holding companies,” said Warner Lewis, an executive vice president for Peoples Bank in Lawrence. “For our guests, this is seamless.”

The combined holding company will be Peoples Inc., and its chairman will remain Wint Winter Jr., and the headquarters will remain in Lawrence. The holding company will continue to be majority-owned by members of the Winter family, as it has been — whether as two entities or as one — since 1971.

The combined Peoples Inc. will have assets of $533 million, the combination of $318 million from the present Peoples Inc. and $215 million from the present Peoples Bancshares Inc.