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

Orme, 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 Orme surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orme in America

Orme is the 12473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orme surname appeared 2,489 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Orme.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orme 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 Orme

The surname Orme is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a topographic name, derived from the Old English word "holm" or "holme," meaning a small island or a river meadow. The name was likely initially given to someone who lived near such a geographic feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Orme" and "Orm." This suggests that the name was already in use during the late 11th century in various parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Orme was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. It is possible that the name may have originated from the place name "Holme," which can be found in several locations across these regions, such as Holme-on-Spalding Moor in Yorkshire or Holme in Cumbria.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Orme include Robert Orme (1728-1801), a British historian and writer who authored works on the military history of British India. Another notable figure was Sir John Orme (1810-1889), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire.

In the 16th century, records show the presence of the Orme family in the town of Wilmslow, Cheshire. One member, Thomas Orme (c. 1560-1626), was a prominent local landowner and benefactor who donated funds for the construction of almshouses in the town.

Moving forward to the 17th century, we find John Orme (1621-1677), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Archdeacon of Barnstaple. He authored several religious works and was known for his sermons and theological writings.

Another notable figure was Samuel Orme (1787-1860), a British Baptist minister and author who wrote extensively on religious subjects and was a prominent figure in the Baptist community of his time.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have been observed, such as Orm, Orem, and Ormes. However, the core form of "Orme" has remained consistent, reflecting the surname's enduring ties to its English origins and topographic roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orme

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

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 Orme 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 Orme 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 Orme was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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