NameCensus.

UK surname

Orrin

A surname of possible English origin meaning "green" or "green place".

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Orrin surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 189, ranked #20,334, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Chelmsford and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orrin is 245 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.9%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

189

2016, ranked #20,334

Peak year

1911

245 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Orrin had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016, ranked #20,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 245 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Orrin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orrin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orrin 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 245 #13,084
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 204 #17,896
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 213 #17,603
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 193 #18,572
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 191 #19,195
2009 modern 200 #19,028
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 183 #20,356
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 189 #20,334

Geography

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Where Orrins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy and Oystermouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Chelmsford and Braintree. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex
5 Oystermouth Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 019 Colchester
2 Colchester 021 Colchester
3 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford
4 Colchester 011 Colchester
5 Braintree 015 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orrin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orrin

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Orrin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Orrin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Orrin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Orrin is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Orrin falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Orrin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Orrin

The surname Orrin is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "odhrain," which means "pale-skinned" or "fair-haired." The name likely referred to an ancestor's physical appearance.

In the 12th century, the name Orrin appeared in various Scottish records, often spelled as "Orrane" or "Orran." One of the earliest known references is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The Orrin surname was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Inverness-shire. Some early bearers of the name may have been associated with the Clan Campbell, one of the most powerful Highland clans during the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the name Orrin appeared in the records of the Scottish Exchequer Rolls, which documented tax payments and financial transactions. One notable entry from 1512 mentions a "John Orrin" who paid a fee for grazing his livestock on Crown lands.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Orrin surname. One example is Robert Orrin (1505-1568), a Scottish Protestant reformer and scholar who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Orrin (1620-1688), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1676 to 1679. He was instrumental in rebuilding parts of the city following the Great Fire of 1674.

In the 18th century, James Orrin (1730-1812) was a Scottish architect and stonemason who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Old College of the University of Edinburgh.

During the Victorian era, Elizabeth Orrin (1845-1923) was a Scottish author and educator who wrote several books on children's literature and education. She was also a vocal advocate for women's rights and suffrage.

The Orrin surname also spread beyond Scotland, with bearers of the name found in England, Ireland, and other parts of the British Isles. One notable English bearer was William Orrin (1788-1856), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Orrin Orphanage in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Orrin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Orrin 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. Essex leads with 102 Orrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.91x.

County Total Index
Essex 102 31.91x
Middlesex 29 1.79x
Sussex 10 3.66x
Glamorgan 9 3.19x
Surrey 8 1.01x
Hertfordshire 5 4.48x
Suffolk 2 1.01x
Durham 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelmsford in Essex leads with 27 Orrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 492.70x.

Place Total Index
Chelmsford 27 492.70x
Colchester St Giles 18 569.62x
Colchester Holy Trinity 14 1971.83x
Chelsea London 12 24.59x
East Grinstead 10 259.07x
Leyton 9 163.34x
Oystermouth 9 412.84x
Colchester St Martin 7 1206.90x
Colchester St Botolph 6 220.59x
Mile End Old Town 6 23.47x
Clerkenwell London 5 13.08x
Colchester St Mary At 5 442.48x
Lambeth 5 3.54x
St Albans St Peter 5 132.63x
Braintree 3 104.53x
Colchester St Nicholas 3 1034.48x
Greenstead 3 638.30x
Paddington London 3 5.04x
Beccles 2 63.09x
Epping 2 153.85x
Newington 2 3.34x
Tottenham 2 7.75x
West Ham 2 2.83x
Aislaby 1 1428.57x
Boxted 1 217.39x
Colchester St Runwald 1 588.24x
Great Horkesley 1 227.27x
Hammersmith London 1 2.51x
Southwark Christchurch 1 13.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 7
Sarah 7
Emma 5
Mary 5
Eliza 4
Clara 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Lilla 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
A. 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Dinar 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Hariett 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Maude 1
Myra 1
Rosa 1
Rosetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
James 7
Henry 5
Thomas 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
John 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
George 3
Harry 3
Charles 2
Ebenezer 2
Frederic 2
Joseph 2
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Leonard 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Orrin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Orrin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Orrin surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Orrin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016. That gives Orrin a modern rank of #20,334.

What does the Orrin surname mean?

A surname of possible English origin meaning "green" or "green place".

What does the Orrin map show?

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