Find out how popular the last name Orion is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Orion.

Orion, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Orion surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orion in America

Orion is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orion surname appeared 219 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Orion.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orion to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Orion

The surname Orion is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, deriving from the name of the famous hunter and mythological figure Orion. This celestial hunter was known for his prowess and was eventually immortalized as a constellation in the night sky.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Orion can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages. It was often used as a surname or byname for individuals who hailed from the Orion region or had some connection to the mythological figure.

In the 11th century, a Byzantine scholar and astronomer named Orion of Byzantium was known for his work on celestial observations and astronomical calculations. He is believed to be one of the earliest documented individuals to bear the surname Orion.

During the Renaissance period, the surname Orion gained popularity in Italy, particularly among scholars and artists who were fascinated by classical Greek and Roman mythology. One notable figure was Orion Ghibellini, an Italian painter from Florence who lived in the 15th century.

As the surname spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Orioni, Orione, and Orionis. In England, the name was sometimes anglicized to Orion or Oryon.

In the 17th century, a French astronomer named Jacques Philippe Maraldi, also known as Orion de la Hire, made significant contributions to the study of comets and the planets. His use of the surname Orion reflected his interest in celestial bodies.

Another notable figure with the surname Orion was Johann Philipp von Orion, a German philosopher and writer who lived in the 18th century. He was known for his works on metaphysics and natural philosophy.

In the 19th century, the British explorer and naturalist Walter Orion Simons conducted extensive explorations in South America, making important discoveries in the field of botany and zoology.

While the surname Orion may have its roots in ancient mythology, it has been borne by individuals across various cultures and time periods, often associated with scholarly pursuits, exploration, and a fascination with the celestial realm.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orion

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Orion.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Orion was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Orion has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Orion was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Orion, please contact us.

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