NameCensus.

UK surname

Orson

Surname derived from a Norman French variant of the given name "Ours" meaning "bear".

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Orson surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley, Barrow-on-Soar and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Rochdale and East Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orson is 147 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.7%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

2011

147 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Orson had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Orson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orson 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 117 #21,658
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Orsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley, Barrow-on-Soar, London parishes, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Rochdale, East Hertfordshire, Barnet and Tameside. 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 Yardley Warwickshire
2 Barrow-on-Soar Leicestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 014 Tunbridge Wells
2 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
3 East Hertfordshire 009 East Hertfordshire
4 Barnet 034 Barnet
5 Tameside 028 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orson

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Orson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Orson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Orson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Orson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Orson

The surname Orson is believed to have originated in England, possibly deriving from the Old English personal name "Ors" or "Ora," which may have meant "bear cub." Alternatively, it could have come from the Old Norse name "Orri," meaning "black bear."

The earliest known records of the surname Orson date back to the late 12th century. In the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, there is a mention of a person named William Orson. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a John Orson.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Orson was found primarily in the counties of Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. It was often associated with places such as Orston in Nottinghamshire, which was recorded as Orestone in the Domesday Book of 1086.

One notable historical figure with the surname Orson was Henry Orson (c. 1450-1505), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1498. Another was Richard Orson (c. 1580-1646), an English clergyman and theologian who was appointed as the Archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1627.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various spelling variations, including Oreson, Oresun, and Orreson. One example is William Oreson, who was baptized in Buckinghamshire in 1644.

A famous literary figure with the surname Orson was the French writer and playwright, Orson Welles (1915-1985). Although his given name was Orson, his surname was originally Welles.

Other notable individuals with the surname Orson include George Orson (1857-1924), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire, and Charles Orson (1875-1951), an English footballer who played for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Orson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Orson 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. Leicestershire leads with 37 Orsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.91x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 37 34.91x
Lancashire 14 1.23x
Warwickshire 8 3.32x
Hampshire 7 3.57x
Rutland 7 99.72x
Middlesex 5 0.52x
Staffordshire 5 1.55x
Lincolnshire 4 2.62x
Oxfordshire 4 6.78x
Surrey 4 0.86x
Derbyshire 2 1.34x
Northamptonshire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 17 Orsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.79x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 17 65.79x
Birmingham 8 9.96x
Hulme 8 33.78x
Quorndon 8 1355.93x
Oakham Deanshold 7 2258.06x
Burslem 5 54.11x
Sysonby 5 16666.67x
Battersea 4 11.37x
Dalby In The Wolds 4 3636.36x
Tangley 4 5714.29x
Aldershot 3 45.73x
Harby 3 1578.95x
Liverpool 3 4.35x
Manchester 3 5.88x
Oxford St Thomas 3 109.09x
Spittlegate 3 142.18x
Clerkenwell London 2 8.87x
Mile End Old Town 2 13.25x
Boothby Pagnell 1 2500.00x
Derby St Peter 1 20.96x
Derby St Werburgh 1 11.57x
Northampton St Peter 1 181.82x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 1 142.86x
St George Hanover 1 8.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Rebecca 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Carroline 1
Cath. 1
Clara 1
D. 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Lilley 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
James 5
Samuel 5
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Charles 2
Francis 2
George 2
John 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Edwin 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jhon 1
Jno. 1
R.H. 1
Rasin 1
Reuben 1
S. 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1
Valentine 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Orson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Orson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Orson surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Orson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Orson a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Orson surname mean?

Surname derived from a Norman French variant of the given name "Ours" meaning "bear".

What does the Orson map show?

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