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Cajun, a variant of French, is spoken in some parts of Louisiana (a colony of France from 1682 to 1762 and again from 1800 until it was sold to the United States in 1803). There are French Canadian settlers in parts of northern New England as well. More than 13 million Americans claim French ancestors, but only 1.5 million speak the language. The city of Miami is home to a large Francophone community, mostly Haitians. Many Quebec pensioners live in Florida.
Many places in the United States have names of French origin, a legacy of past French exploration and rule over much of the land and in honor of French help during the founding of the country:
- Bel Air, California ("Beautiful Air")
- Boise, Idaho (from boisé, "Wooded")
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho ("Alene's Heart")
- Des Moines, Iowa ("of the Monks")
- Dubuque, Iowa (named for explorer Julien Dubuque)
- Terre Haute, Indiana ("High Ground")
- Vincennes, Indiana (named for Vincennes, France)
- Louisville, Kentucky ("City of Louis")
- Louisiana
- Lafayette, Louisiana (named for the Marquis de Lafayette; there are a number of cities named either "Lafayette" or "Fayetteville" in the United States)
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana ("Red Stick")
- New Orleans, Louisiana (New Orléans, a city in France)
- Havre de Grace, Maryland (named for Le Havre, France)
- New Rochelle, New York (named for La Rochelle, France)
- Maine (after the historic French province of Maine)
- Belleville, Michigan ("Beautiful City;" named for a Paris district)
- Grosse Pointe, Michigan ("Big Point")
- Detroit, Michigan ("Strait")
- Grand Blanc, Michigan ("Large White")
- Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan ("St. Mary's Falls")
- Marquette, Michigan (named for explorer Jacques Marquette)
- Cadillac, Michigan (named for explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac)
- Isle Royale National Park ("Royal Island")
- Saint Louis, Missouri
- Provo, Utah (named after Étienne Provost)
- Vermont (Originally Vert Mont, or "Green Mountain")
- Montpelier, Vermont ("Pelier Mountain")
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin ("Clear Water")
- Fond du Lac, Wisconsin ("Base of the Lake")
- Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin ("Dog Prairie")
- La Grange, Illinois ("The Farm")
- Joliet, Illinois (named for explorer Louis Jolliet)
- Des Plaines, Illinois ("of the Plains")
- St. Cloud, Minnesota (named for a Paris suburb)
- Duluth, Minnesota (named for Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut)
- Voyageurs National Park (named for the French-Canadian explorers)
Seasonal variations
Florida, and a few other resorts (most infamously Old Orchard Beach) popular in Quebec are stormed by Quebecers during the Winter and Summer breaks.
See also
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