Orleans

Orleans, or Orléans in French, is a toponym and, at times, a surname used for several places and historical entities. In France, Orléans is a city in the Centre-Val de Loire region, capital of the Loiret department, situated on the Loire River. It is a historic center of medieval and Renaissance architecture and is notable for its role in the Hundred Years’ War, including the lifting of the siege of the city in 1429 under Joan of Arc.

The English spelling Orleans appears in many places named after the French city or the historical duchy. The most widely known is New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana, founded by the French in 1718 and named after Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who served as regent of France. New Orleans is a major port and cultural hub on the Mississippi River; Orleans Parish is the parish that contains the city.

Other places named Orleans include Orleans County in New York and Vermont, as well as Orleans, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Île d’Orléans is an island in the Saint Lawrence River near Quebec City, and Orleans is a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, in Canada.

In historical and noble contexts, the name survives in the House of Orléans, a cadet branch of the French royal family, which held the title Duke of Orléans. The term Orléans thus appears in geographic, historical, and cultural references across France, North America, and beyond.