NameCensus.

UK surname

Ormes

An occupational surname referring to a metal worker or goldsmith.

In the 1881 census there were 192 people recorded with the Ormes surname, ranking it #13,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #13,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brightlingsea, Manchester and St Matthew Bethnal Green. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Bolton and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ormes is 279 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.5%.

1881 census count

192

Ranked #13,185

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

1911

279 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ormes had 192 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 279 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ormes surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ormes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ormes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ormes over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 96 #17,594
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 192 #13,185
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 251 #13,102
1911 historical 279 #12,018
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 213 #17,431
1999 modern 213 #17,550
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 233 #16,260
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 211 #17,662
2007 modern 203 #18,303
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 211 #18,377
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 204 #19,040
2012 modern 212 #18,481
2013 modern 211 #18,872
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Ormes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brightlingsea, Manchester, St Matthew Bethnal Green, London parishes and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Bolton and Babergh. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Brightlingsea Essex
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 2
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 047 Cheshire East
2 Bolton 022 Bolton
3 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
4 Bolton 003 Bolton
5 Babergh 004 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ormes

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ormes surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ormes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ormes, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Ormes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ormes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Ormes is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ormes is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ormes falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ormes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ormes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ormes

The surname ORMES has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "orme," which meant "elm tree." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near an elm tree or a place associated with elms.

In ancient records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Orme, Orms, and Ormus, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named Richard Orme is mentioned.

The ORMES surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Orme's Head in North Wales and Ormesby in Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's development or served as locations where early bearers of the name resided.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the ORMES surname. One of the earliest documented was Sir John Ormes, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived during the 14th century. He was renowned for his military service and held significant estates in Warwickshire.

Another historical figure was Robert Ormes, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1537 to 1551. He played a role in the English Reformation and was known for his theological writings.

In the literary world, Frances Ormes (1701-1783) was an English poet and playwright whose works were celebrated during the 18th century. Her plays, including "The Parson's Wedding" and "The Governess," were performed in London theaters.

Moving forward in time, James Ormes (1820-1897) was a British architect and civil engineer who gained recognition for his work on various railway projects, including the construction of bridges and viaducts in England and Wales.

Another notable figure was Sir Philip Ormes (1875-1959), a British military officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He played a pivotal role in the Battle of the Somme and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who carried the ORMES surname, illustrating its enduring presence and connection to various fields and accomplishments.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ormes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ormes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 87 Ormes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.62x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 87 4.62x
Lancashire 34 1.52x
Cheshire 32 7.70x
Surrey 12 1.31x
Essex 8 2.15x
Hampshire 5 1.30x
Suffolk 5 2.18x
Staffordshire 4 0.63x
Leicestershire 2 0.96x
Warwickshire 2 0.42x
Devon 1 0.26x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 49 Ormes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.92x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 49 59.92x
Mile End Old Town 24 80.75x
Runcorn 18 187.89x
Nantwich 12 248.45x
Hulme 10 21.44x
Kingston On Thames 8 36.31x
Liverpool 6 4.42x
Brightlingsea 5 235.85x
Kensington London 5 4.78x
Portsea 5 6.61x
Stowmarket 5 188.68x
Pendleton In Salford 4 15.03x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 10.56x
Walton On Hill 4 33.06x
West Bromwich 4 11.00x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 17.84x
Shoreditch London 3 3.68x
Birkenhead 2 6.04x
Chester All Sts 2 666.67x
Hornsey 2 8.40x
Leicester St Mary 2 11.86x
St George In East 2 15.63x
Wigan 2 6.41x
Birmingham 1 0.63x
Devonport 1 22.22x
Everton 1 1.40x
Great Clacton 1 79.37x
Kirkdale 1 2.66x
Monks Kirby 1 96.15x
Salford 1 1.52x
Sheffield 1 1.68x
St Mildred Poultry 1 10000.00x
Toxteth Park 1 1.32x
Westminster St 1 14.41x
Withington 1 13.89x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ormes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ormes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 11
John 8
Thomas 7
James 6
Robert 6
George 5
Walter 5
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Danl. 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Jos. 1
Lewis 1
Osmond 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Ormes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ormes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 192 people were recorded with the Ormes surname. That placed it at #13,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ormes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Ormes a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Ormes surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a metal worker or goldsmith.

What does the Ormes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ormes bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.