Orzens

Origin of the name Orzens

The village is mentioned in 1177 in the form «Orsens». The name is thought to derive from a Germanic personal name such as «Orizo», followed by the suffix «-ingōs» (at the home of the people of, of the clan of) (to be cross-checked). In Vaud patois the municipality is called «Odzin». The inhabitants are nicknamed «les Seillettes», the «seille» being the wooden pail used to collect milk.

Founding of Orzens

None of the sources consulted names a founder of the village. In the Middle Ages Orzens belonged to the lordship of Saint-Martin-du-Chêne, then to that of Bioley-Magnoux, before forming a lordship of its own. A noble family bearing the name of the village acquired feudal rights there in the 14th century and in 1367 obtained full jurisdiction over the territory from Othon II of Grandson-Belmont (to be cross-checked). The municipality includes the village and the hamlet of Champs-Plats.

History of Orzens

1177. First written mention, «Orsens».

Middle Ages. Orzens passes from the lordship of Saint-Martin-du-Chêne to that of Bioley-Magnoux.

1228. Orzens is the centre of a parish (church of Saint-Victor).

1367. The d'Orzens family obtains full jurisdiction over the lordship from Othon II of Grandson-Belmont (to be cross-checked).

1416. The village has 24 hearths.

1536. Under Bernese rule, Orzens belongs to the bailiwick of Yverdon until 1798.

1540-1543. The reformer Antoine Marcourt is pastor of Orzens.

1553. An oak granary is built, still preserved today (to be cross-checked).

1667. Through marriage the lordship passes to Claude de Varax, lord of Neuvecelle, of the Savoyard Varax family (to be cross-checked).

1701-1703. The castle is remodelled or rebuilt; a house bears the date 1701 (to be cross-checked).

1703. The lordship is sold to Jean de Loys; from then on it belongs to the Loys de Villardin.

1798. The municipality becomes part of the district of Yverdon.

1852. A landslide destroys part of the village.

1862. Orzens is incorporated into the parish of Gressy.

1907-1908. A new church is built at Sur le Mont, replacing the medieval church of Saint-Victor (to be cross-checked).

2000. Nearly three quarters of the working population commute to Lausanne and Yverdon-les-Bains; the municipality has fifteen farms.

2008. With the new districts coming into force on 1 January, the municipality joins the district of Jura-Nord vaudois.

2010. The village's last school class closes in July, as does the dairy and cheese factory (to be cross-checked).

Population of Orzens

Population of Orzens

1416	24 hearths (households)
1803	225
1850	323
1900	281
1950	215
1980	164
2000	197
2025	216

Historic sites in Orzens

Castle of Orzens. The centre of the small lordship of Orzens now consists of a modest square tower with a gunport, attached to a house bearing the date 1701. Remodelled in the late 17th or early 18th century (1701-1703), it belonged to the Loys de Villardin from 1703; its roof was restored in 1973 (to be cross-checked).

Church of Sur le Mont. Built in 1907-1908 at Sur le Mont to replace the medieval church of Saint-Victor, attested as a parish church in 1228 (to be cross-checked).

Granary of 1553. Oak granary dated 1553, preserved in the village (to be cross-checked).

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Orzens »
• Feuille des avis officiels du canton de Vaud, « Alphabet des communes vaudoises : Orzens »
• Commune d'Orzens, « Passé et présent »
• Swisscastles, « Le château d'Orzens »
• Wikipédia, « Orzens »
• Wikipedia (en), « Orzens »
• Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Orzens

• Oppens (VD)
• Pailly (VD)
• Rueyres (VD)
• Ursins (VD)
• Ogens (VD)