Louisiana

Orleans

383,997
2020 population
1800
first census record
23
census records

About Orleans

Orleans, Louisiana, first appears in the United States federal census in 1800, when it recorded a population of 1,810. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 383,997.

Its recorded population peaked at 627,525 in 1960, and has since declined by roughly 39 percent.

On the ground today, 21 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Night Engagement of December 23, 1814, Skirmish at Villere Plantation, Skirmish at Villeré Plantation, and 206 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020383,997
2010343,829
2000484,674
1990496,938
1980557,515
1970593,471
1960627,525
1950570,445
1940494,537
1930458,762
1920387,219
1910339,075
1900287,104
1890242,039
1880216,090
1870191,418
1860174,491
1850119,460
1840102,193
183049,826
182041,351
181024,552
18001,810
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Orleans

Military engagements that took place in Orleans, Louisiana.

Night Engagement of December 23, 1814
1814
Skirmish at Villere Plantation
1814
Skirmish at Villeré Plantation
1814
Battle of New Orleans — Villere Plantation Skirmish (Dec 23 1814)
1814
Night Attack at New Orleans Dec 23 1814
1814
Artillery Duel Jan 1 1815 New Orleans
1815
Battle of New Orleans West Bank Jan 8 1815
1815
Battle of New Orleans — Rodriguez Canal Line Artillery Duel (Jan 1 1815)
1815
Battle of New Orleans — Main Assault Jan 8 1815
1815
Artillery Duel at Rodriguez Canal Jan 1 1815
1815
Battle of New Orleans — West Bank Action (Jan 8 1815)
1815
CSS Manassas Construction and Service
1861
Battle of New Orleans — Farragut's passage
1862
Capture of New Orleans 1862
1862
CSS Webb Final Dash on Mississippi
1865
CSS Webb Last Confederate Cruiser on the Mississippi
1865
New Orleans Race Riot (1866)
1866
New Orleans Massacre
1866
Battle of Liberty Place Sep 14 1874
1874
Battle of Liberty Place, New Orleans 1874
1874
Battle of Liberty Place (New Orleans 1874)
1874

Historic places in Orleans

National Register of Historic Places listings in Orleans, Louisiana.

St. Mary's Assumption Church
New Orleans
Girod, Nicholas, House
New Orleans
Bullitt-Longenecker House
New Orleans
Hermann-Grima House
New Orleans
Saenger Theatre (Boundary Increase)
New Orleans
Flint-Goodridge Hospital of Dillard University
New Orleans
Garden District
New Orleans
Criminal Courts Building
New Orleans
Fort Pike
New Orleans
Arabella Station
New Orleans
Gem Theater
New Orleans
Longue Vue House and Gardens
New Orleans
American Chicle Company Building
New Orleans
Old Ursuline Convent
New Orleans
Fort Macomb
New Orleans
U.S. Mint, New Orleans Branch
New Orleans
Pitot House
New Orleans
St. Peter A.M.E. Church
New Orleans
St. Charles Streetcar Line
New Orleans
Perseverance Hall
New Orleans
U.S. Court of Appeals-Fifth Circuit
New Orleans
Jackson Barracks
New Orleans
Fort St. John
New Orleans
Hernsheim, Simon, House
New Orleans
Browse all Louisianahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Louisiana

Explore census history and historic records for more Louisiana counties.

MadisonMorehouseNatchitochesOuachitaParishPlaqueminesPointe CoupeeRapidesRed RiverRichlandSabineSt. BernardSt. CharlesSt. HelenaSt. JamesSt. John the BaptistSt. LandrySt. MartinSt. MarySt. Tammany
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Orleans County, Louisiana

This page charts the census history of Orleans County, Louisiana. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Orleans

When does Orleans first appear in the US census?
Orleans, Louisiana first appears in the federal census in 1800, with a recorded population of 1,810.
What is the population of Orleans?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Orleans had a recorded population of 383,997.
When did Orleans's population peak?
Orleans's recorded population peaked at 627,525 in 1960.
Were any battles fought in Orleans?
21 documented military engagements took place in Orleans, including Night Engagement of December 23, 1814, Skirmish at Villere Plantation, Skirmish at Villeré Plantation.
How many historic places are in Orleans?
206 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Orleans, Louisiana.
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