New Orleans: History, Former Names & Timeline
Port near the mouth of the Mississippi, capital of French Louisiana and birthplace of jazz.
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Former names of New Orleans
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1718 | La Nouvelle-Orléans |
Timeline of New Orleans
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1718 | The French found the city |
| 1803 | Joins the United States with the Louisiana Purchase |
| 1815 | Battle of New Orleans |
| 2005 | Hurricane Katrina devastates the city |
Who ruled New Orleans
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–101 BC | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 100 BC–599 | Marksville Culture |
| 600–1491 | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 1492–1499 | Chahta Yakni (Choctaw) |
| 1500–1599 | Natchez |
| 1600–1649 | Choctaw |
| 1650–1782 | Chtimacha |
| 1783–1814 | Luisiana |
| 1815–1879 | United States |
| 1880–1913 | United States of America |
| 1914–today | United States |
Further reading
Questions about New Orleans
What was New Orleans called in the past?
New Orleans has been known as La Nouvelle-Orléans (from 1718). Its present name dates from 1718.
Which states have ruled New Orleans?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, New Orleans lies within 9 different states: Eastern North American hunter-gatherers, Marksville Culture, Chahta Yakni (Choctaw), Natchez, Choctaw, Chtimacha, Luisiana, United States, United States of America.
What are the key dates in the history of New Orleans?
1718: The French found the city. 1803: Joins the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. 1815: Battle of New Orleans. 2005: Hurricane Katrina devastates the city.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.