NameCensus.

UK surname

Orrock

A surname derived from an old Scottish place name meaning "gravelly hill".

In the 1881 census there were 188 people recorded with the Orrock surname, ranking it #13,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 276, ranked #15,673, down from #13,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunnichen, Beath and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirriemuir, Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond and Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orrock is 296 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.8%.

1881 census count

188

Ranked #13,379

Modern count

276

2016, ranked #15,673

Peak year

2010

296 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Orrock had 188 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016, ranked #15,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 191 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Orrock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orrock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orrock 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 169 #11,832
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 188 #13,379
1891 historical 191 #15,437
1901 historical 183 #15,996
1911 historical 52 #27,620
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 273 #14,803
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 281 #14,567
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 272 #14,930
2003 modern 279 #14,506
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 274 #14,663
2006 modern 262 #15,255
2007 modern 273 #14,959
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 296 #14,877
2011 modern 286 #15,091
2012 modern 280 #15,248
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 270 #15,911
2016 modern 276 #15,673

Geography

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Where Orrocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunnichen, Beath, Newcastle All Saints, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirriemuir, Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans, Burntisland West and Muirton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dunnichen Forfar
2 Beath Fife
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirriemuir Angus
2 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross
3 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
4 Burntisland West Fife
5 Muirton Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orrock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orrock

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Orrock 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

Orrock is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Orrock 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 Orrock 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 Orrock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Orrock

The surname Orrock has its origins in the Scottish borders region, specifically the counties of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ofer" and "hryc," which translates to "over the ridge." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers likely resided near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, the name appears as "Orrok." This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various Scottish charters and records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1359, where a "Thomas Orrok" is mentioned. This indicates the surname's continued presence in the region during this period.

The Orrock family is also associated with the lands of Orrock in Berwickshire, which likely contributed to the surname's establishment and prominence in the area. One notable figure from this lineage was John Orrock of Orrock, who lived in the 16th century and is mentioned in various historical records.

Another notable bearer of the surname was James Orrock, a Scottish minister and theologian who lived from 1677 to 1758. He served as the minister of the Tron Church in Edinburgh and was a influential figure in the Church of Scotland during his time.

In the 18th century, the name appears in the records of the University of Glasgow, with a student named Robert Orrock enrolling in 1749. This demonstrates the surname's presence among the educated classes of the time.

One of the most well-known individuals with the Orrock surname was James Douglas Orrock, a Scottish-born American jurist who lived from 1850 to 1914. He served as a justice on the Supreme Court of Oregon and played a significant role in shaping the state's legal system.

The Orrock family has also left its mark on various places around the world. For example, there is an Orrock Hill in Berwickshire, Scotland, as well as an Orrock Township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, in the United States, both likely named after individuals with the Orrock surname.

While the surname Orrock is not among the most common in the world, its rich history and deep roots in the Scottish borders region have contributed to its enduring legacy and association with that particular geographic area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Orrock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Orrock 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. Midlothian leads with 46 Orrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.73x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 46 18.73x
Angus 36 21.19x
Fife 30 27.64x
Lanarkshire 26 4.38x
Middlesex 15 0.82x
Durham 9 1.65x
Northumberland 9 3.30x
Yorkshire 7 0.39x
Ross-shire 5 9.93x
Perthshire 3 3.65x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.03x
Kent 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 29 Orrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.34x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 29.34x
Glasgow 13 12.34x
Dundee 12 18.92x
Dunnichen 10 1111.11x
Dalgety 8 963.86x
Bishopwearmouth 7 14.95x
Bow London 7 29.99x
Manningham 7 31.26x
St Vigeans 7 76.34x
Abbotshall 6 147.78x
Beath 5 145.77x
Edinburgh New 5 261.78x
Maryhill 5 43.07x
Monifieth 5 83.33x
Rosskeen 5 210.97x
Barony 4 2.67x
Carluke 4 74.21x
Dunfermline 4 23.97x
Hackney London 4 3.89x
Heaton 4 439.56x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 61.98x
Muckhart 3 789.47x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 18.40x
Ratho 3 260.87x
St Giles In Fields 3 47.47x
Byker 2 14.83x
Pittenweem 2 149.25x
Southwick 2 38.68x
Wemyss 2 43.57x
Aberdour 1 91.74x
Corstorphine 1 73.53x
Dalkeith 1 20.62x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 16.00x
Edinburgh Trinity 1 126.58x
Greenwich 1 3.43x
Inveresk 1 15.04x
Kilconquhar 1 77.52x
Kinghorn 1 43.48x
Liberton 1 26.39x
Montrose 1 9.71x
New Kilpatrick 1 21.32x
Rescobie 1 232.56x
St Pancras London 1 0.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Adel 1
Ann 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1
Rosehana 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 3
George 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
David 1
Hector 1
Horace 1

Top occupations

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 Orrock households.

FAQ

Orrock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Orrock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 188 people were recorded with the Orrock surname. That placed it at #13,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Orrock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016. That gives Orrock a modern rank of #15,673.

What does the Orrock surname mean?

A surname derived from an old Scottish place name meaning "gravelly hill".

What does the Orrock map show?

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