NameCensus.

UK surname

Orsini

A surname of Italian origin referring to a person from the town of Orso or a bear keeper.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havering, Kensington and Chelsea and Broxbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orsini is 108 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2016

108 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Orsini surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orsini surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orsini 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 1 #33,412
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 67 #30,915
1998 modern 67 #31,282
1999 modern 69 #31,223
2000 modern 74 #30,785
2001 modern 70 #31,016
2002 modern 80 #30,387
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 79 #30,799
2005 modern 75 #31,400
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Orsinis are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havering, Kensington and Chelsea, Broxbourne, Cheshire East and Birmingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havering 008 Havering
2 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Broxbourne 002 Broxbourne
4 Cheshire East 003 Cheshire East
5 Birmingham 089 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orsini

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orsini

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Orsini surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Orsini household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Orsini is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Orsini is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Orsini falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Orsini is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Orsini

The surname Orsini has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "ursinus," meaning "bear-like" or "bearish," suggesting a possible connection to the bear symbol or emblem used by the family.

The Orsini family was one of the most powerful and influential noble families in Rome and the Papal States during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They held significant political and ecclesiastical positions, including several popes and cardinals.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Orsini name can be found in the 11th century, when the family established itself as a prominent force in the Roman aristocracy. The Orsini were involved in numerous conflicts and power struggles, often aligning themselves with the Ghibelline faction against the Guelphs.

The name Orsini is associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous was Niccolò III Orsini, who became Pope Nicholas III in 1277. He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Papal States and the consolidation of the Church's temporal power.

Another prominent member of the Orsini family was Giordano Orsini (1192-1287), a Roman nobleman and military leader who served as a senator of Rome and supported the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in his struggles against the Papacy.

In the 15th century, Clarice Orsini (1453-1488) gained prominence as the wife of Lorenzo de' Medici, the influential ruler of Florence. Their marriage strengthened the alliance between the Orsini and Medici families, two of the most powerful dynasties in Renaissance Italy.

Paolo Giordano II Orsini (1591-1670) was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, serving as the Duke of Bracciano and later becoming a cardinal. He was known for his patronage of the arts and his involvement in various diplomatic missions.

Felice Orsini (1819-1858) was a prominent Italian revolutionary and nationalist who attempted to assassinate Napoleon III in 1858. Despite his radical views, he is remembered as a significant figure in the Italian unification movement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Orsini surname: questions and answers

How common is the Orsini surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Orsini a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Orsini surname mean?

A surname of Italian origin referring to a person from the town of Orso or a bear keeper.

What does the Orsini map show?

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