UK surname
A locative surname indicating a person hailed from a place with the name Orm.
In the 1881 census there were 87 people recorded with the Ormson surname, ranking it #21,334 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 79, ranked #33,100, down from #21,334 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ormson is 137 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.2%.
1881 census count
87
Ranked #21,334
Modern count
79
2016, ranked #33,100
Peak year
1901
137 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ormson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ormson surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 58 | #22,928 |
| 1861 | historical | 78 | #23,836 |
| 1881 | historical | 87 | #21,334 |
| 1891 | historical | 119 | #21,415 |
| 1901 | historical | 137 | #19,032 |
| 1911 | historical | 117 | #20,757 |
| 1997 | modern | 82 | #29,325 |
| 1998 | modern | 89 | #29,026 |
| 1999 | modern | 87 | #29,398 |
| 2000 | modern | 80 | #30,139 |
| 2001 | modern | 77 | #30,277 |
| 2002 | modern | 82 | #30,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 79 | #30,549 |
| 2004 | modern | 80 | #30,679 |
| 2005 | modern | 76 | #31,267 |
| 2006 | modern | 80 | #31,149 |
| 2007 | modern | 84 | #31,067 |
| 2008 | modern | 90 | #30,567 |
| 2009 | modern | 87 | #31,489 |
| 2010 | modern | 89 | #31,745 |
| 2011 | modern | 87 | #31,905 |
| 2012 | modern | 77 | #33,124 |
| 2013 | modern | 79 | #33,142 |
| 2014 | modern | 78 | #33,270 |
| 2015 | modern | 78 | #33,210 |
| 2016 | modern | 79 | #33,100 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool and Cheadle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Cheadle | Cheshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ormson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ormson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ormson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ormson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ormson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ormson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ormson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ormson is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'orm' meaning 'serpent' or 'dragon' and 'tun' meaning 'enclosure' or 'settlement'. The name likely originated in various locations across England that contained these elements, such as Ormston in Norfolk or Ormskirk in Lancashire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Ormestvn' in the county of Lincolnshire. This entry suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including 'Ormeston' and 'Ormiston'. These variations reflect the different regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. Records from this period show individuals bearing the name residing in counties such as Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
In the 14th century, the name began to take on its more modern spelling of 'Ormson'. This was likely due to the influence of the patronymic naming system, where surnames were derived from the father's given name. One notable figure from this era was John Ormson, a merchant from York who was recorded in the city's guild records in the late 1300s.
In the 16th century, the Ormson family had established a presence in the county of Lancashire, where they held land and property. A prominent member of this lineage was Robert Ormson, born in 1521, who served as a magistrate and justice of the peace in the region.
During the 17th century, the name continued to be found across various parts of England, with notable individuals including William Ormson (1612-1677), a clergyman and author from Oxfordshire, and Margaret Ormson (1651-1718), a philanthropist and benefactor from Yorkshire.
As the centuries progressed, the Ormson name spread further across the British Isles and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields. Some noteworthy figures include Sir George Ormson (1765-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and James Ormson (1821-1896), a Scottish-born artist and painter who gained recognition for his landscape works.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ormson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cheshire leads with 52 Ormsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.09x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | 52 | 28.09x |
| Lancashire | 21 | 2.11x |
| Staffordshire | 7 | 2.47x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.24x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1.38x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.76x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.12x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.24x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Runcorn in Cheshire leads with 10 Ormsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 234.19x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Runcorn | 10 | 234.19x |
| Weaverham Cum Milton | 8 | 1632.65x |
| Bosden | 7 | 1228.07x |
| Cannock | 7 | 141.70x |
| West Derby | 5 | 17.17x |
| Bowdon | 4 | 547.95x |
| Dunham Massey | 4 | 701.75x |
| Halton | 4 | 975.61x |
| Liverpool | 4 | 6.62x |
| Rainford | 4 | 370.37x |
| Toxteth Park | 4 | 11.87x |
| Tranmere | 4 | 58.82x |
| Widnes | 4 | 55.71x |
| Sutton In Runcorn | 3 | 2727.27x |
| Dodworth | 2 | 232.56x |
| Norbury | 2 | 465.12x |
| Over | 2 | 106.38x |
| Witton Cum Twambrooks | 2 | 121.21x |
| Chesterfield | 1 | 20.33x |
| Egremont | 1 | 58.14x |
| Fulham London | 1 | 8.22x |
| Latchford | 1 | 81.30x |
| Stockport | 1 | 10.49x |
| Walton On Thames | 1 | 53.19x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ormson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ormson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ormson households.
FAQ
In 1881, 87 people were recorded with the Ormson surname. That placed it at #21,334 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016. That gives Ormson a modern rank of #33,100.
A locative surname indicating a person hailed from a place with the name Orm.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ormson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.