Before the French Revolution, the municipality of Bordeaux was headed by the jurat (French: Jurat).

The first mayor of Bordeaux (French: maire de Bordeaux) was elected in 1794.

In 1797, the office of Mayor was divided in three arrondissement-mayors: the North (1st Arrondissement), the South (2nd Arrondissement) and the Center (3rd Arrondissement).

The arrondissements' mayors were abolished in 1801, but the Mayor's office was re-introduced only in 1805, during the First Empire.