NameCensus.

UK surname

Orrick

Of English origin, meaning ridge or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Orrick surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 171, ranked #21,726, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bothwell and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Gateshead and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orrick is 198 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.9%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

171

2016, ranked #21,726

Peak year

2010

198 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Orrick had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016, ranked #21,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Orrick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orrick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orrick 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 102 #22,465
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 182 #19,162
1999 modern 191 #18,744
2000 modern 193 #18,616
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 182 #19,411
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 174 #19,783
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 181 #19,680
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 187 #20,132
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 171 #21,726

Geography

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Where Orricks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bothwell, Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside, Gateshead, Northumberland, St. Helens and Cairnhill. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 025 North Tyneside
2 Gateshead 022 Gateshead
3 Northumberland 029 Northumberland
4 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
5 Cairnhill North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orrick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orrick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Orrick, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Orrick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Orrick household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Orrick is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Orrick 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

Orrick falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Orrick is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Orrick

The surname Orrick is believed to have originated from England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, during the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "orc" or "oroc," meaning a young bull or calf, and "wic" or "wick," meaning a dwelling place or farm. Thus, the name Orrick likely referred to someone who lived on a farm where young cattle were raised.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, a historical record from 1273, which mentions a William Orvic. The name also appears in the Derbyshire Feet of Fines from 1330, which lists a Henry de Orwyck.

In the 16th century, the surname was sometimes spelled as "Orwicke" or "Orwyke," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. A notable example is John Orwick, a merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in York, who lived around 1550.

During the 17th century, the name began to take on its more modern spelling of "Orrick." One prominent figure from this time was Richard Orrick, a clergyman born in 1625 in Yorkshire, who served as the rector of Swinstead in Lincolnshire.

In the 18th century, the Orrick family had a presence in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lancashire. One notable individual was John Orrick (1717-1785), a landowner and Justice of the Peace in Yorkshire.

As the Orrick family spread across England and beyond, they left their mark in various fields. For instance, Benjamin Orrick (1763-1841) was a notable English engraver and artist, while John Orrick (1786-1859) was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Orrick has been linked to various place names, such as Orrick Hill in Yorkshire and Orrick Lane in Derbyshire, further highlighting its geographic roots and connections to the land.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Orrick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Orrick 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. Durham leads with 33 Orricks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.73x.

County Total Index
Durham 33 10.73x
Northumberland 26 16.90x
Kent 15 4.25x
Lanarkshire 12 3.59x
Angus 8 8.35x
Midlothian 4 2.89x
Yorkshire 3 0.29x
Caithness 1 7.06x
Fife 1 1.63x
Renfrewshire 1 1.25x
Royal Navy 1 8.12x
Somerset 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 15 Orricks recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.13x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 15 65.13x
Bothwell 10 110.25x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 108.81x
Deal 9 299.00x
Arbroath 6 189.27x
Southwick 6 206.19x
Byker 5 65.79x
Westgate 5 52.47x
Milton In Gravesend 4 75.61x
Monkwearmouth 4 136.05x
Winlaton 4 135.59x
Longbenton 3 46.01x
Wallsend 3 61.48x
West Calder 3 109.89x
Bishopwearmouth 2 7.58x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 15.02x
Kirriemuir 2 84.75x
Southcoates 2 35.15x
Barony 1 1.18x
Carnwath 1 48.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.79x
Inverkeithing 1 108.70x
Inverkip 1 52.91x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 22.94x
Middlesbrough 1 7.50x
Northbourne 1 294.12x
Royal Navy 1 9.50x
Sholden 1 714.29x
Thurso 1 45.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 6
Jane 5
Mary 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Alice 1
Barbra 1
Gordon 1
Louisa 1
Margery 1
Margt. 1
Minnie 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Robert 4
William 4
Benjamin 3
Alexander 2
George 2
Henry 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Francis 1
Jas. 1
Matthew 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Orrick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Orrick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Orrick surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Orrick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016. That gives Orrick a modern rank of #21,726.

What does the Orrick surname mean?

Of English origin, meaning ridge or hill.

What does the Orrick map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Orrick 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.