In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile (or Mobille). The name of Biloxi in French was 'Bilocci' (with 'fort Maurepas'), on maps dated circa year 1710/1725 the name was sometimes translated into English as 'Fort Bilocci'. Keesler Air Force Base lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing and the 403d Wing of the U.S. The beachfront of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands scattered off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico. Post-Katrina, the population of Biloxi decreased, and it became the fifth-largest city in the state, being surpassed by Hattiesburg and Southaven. Due to the widespread destruction and flooding, many refugees left the city. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Biloxi was the third-largest city in Mississippi, behind Jackson and Gulfport.
The city is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi metropolitan area and the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, MS Combined Statistical Area. The area's first European settlers were French colonists. The 2010 United States Census recorded the population as 44,054 and in 2019 the estimated population was 46,212. Biloxi ( bih- LUK-see ) is a city in and one of two county seats of Harrison County, Mississippi, United States (the other seat being the adjoining city of Gulfport).
