Orndorff
A German occupational surname referring to someone who lived near a place with a spring or well.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,667 Americans carry the last name Orndorff. That puts it at #10,250 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,470 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Orndorff surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 93,470
Census rank
#10,250
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,145 bearers of the surname Orndorff in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10250th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Orndorff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Orndorff
The surname Orndorff has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Orn," which means "eagle," combined with the word "dorf," meaning "village" or "town." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place named after an eagle or a location where eagles were prevalent.
The earliest recorded instance of the Orndorff name can be found in the baptismal records of the town of Obermoschel, in the Palatinate region of Germany, in the year 1595. Here, the name was spelled "Orndorff." Over time, various spellings emerged, including Orndorf, Orndorfer, and Orndorfer.
One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Johann Orndorff, a German immigrant who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737. He settled in what is now Franklin County and became a prominent farmer and landowner. His descendants continued to use the Orndorff spelling, and many of them remained in the region for generations.
Another early record of the Orndorff name can be found in the church records of Kirchheimbolanden, a town in the Palatinate region, where an individual named Hans Orndorff was born in 1638.
In the 18th century, several Orndorff families emigrated from Germany to America, seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. One such family was that of Johannes Orndorff, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1749 and eventually settled in Virginia.
A notable figure from this lineage was Samuel Orndorff, born in 1784 in Virginia. He served as a captain in the War of 1812 and later became a prominent businessman and landowner in the Shenandoah Valley region.
Another individual of historical significance was Jacob Orndorff, born in 1791 in Pennsylvania. He was a farmer and miller who played a role in the early development of the milling industry in the region.
As the Orndorff family spread throughout the United States, they contributed to various fields, including agriculture, manufacturing, and public service. While the name may have evolved slightly in its spelling over time, its German origins and connection to the concept of an "eagle village" have remained a part of its historical narrative.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Orndorff
Among Census respondents with the surname Orndorff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Orndorff bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Orndorff surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6%
- Black or African American2.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Orndorff surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,401 | #10,250 | -9.0% |
| Count | 3,176 | 3,145 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.18 | 1.07 | -9.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Orndorff bearers went from 3,176 to 3,145 (-1.0% change). The surname moved down 849 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,401 to #10,250.
FAQ
Orndorff surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Orndorff?
The surname Orndorff holds position #10,250 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,667 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Orndorff surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Orndorff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.