Marie Antoinette awarded this breed its name, as they were her favorite breed of dog and she referred to her dog as her "Petite Papillon."

The erect ear "butterfly" type of Papillon did not become fashionable until the end of the 19th century; it has remained the more popular type of Papillon to this day. However, the drop-eared "Phalene" variety is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

Papillons were used as vermin-catchers. Because of their small size, they adopted an interesting way in which to catch and kill rats: they would bait them and tease them until exhaustion, enabling them to make their finishing move.