2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Orre
A surname possibly related to rock or landscape features.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Orre. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Orre surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Orre in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Orre, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Black (7.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Orre
The surname Orre is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a locational name, derived from the Old English word "or," meaning a slope or a bank. The name was likely borne by individuals who resided near a notable slope or hillside.
In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "de Ora" and "atte Ore" in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. These early spellings suggest a connection to specific places or settlements where the name holders resided.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Orre can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated circa 1273, where a certain Willelmus de Ora is mentioned. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that era.
In the late 14th century, the surname Orre appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, where a John Orre was listed among the taxpayers. This reference further solidifies the presence of the name in different regions of England during the medieval period.
Notably, the surname Orre was also associated with a prominent family from Northumberland, the Orres of Whitfield. This family's lineage can be traced back to the 16th century, with notable members such as John Orre (born circa 1550), who served as a magistrate and landowner in the region.
Another individual of historical significance bearing the surname Orre was Sir Robert Orre, a distinguished soldier and military commander who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. Sir Robert's exploits and valor in battles against the Scots earned him recognition and respect among his contemporaries.
In the realm of literature, the surname Orre is mentioned in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet and author of the Canterbury Tales. In his work "The Reeve's Tale," Chaucer introduces a character named Symkyn, whose surname is given as Orre, providing a glimpse into the name's usage during the late 14th century.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Orre has maintained its presence, with various branches and families bearing this name across different parts of England. While the specific origins and meanings may have evolved over time, the name's historical significance and connection to the medieval era remain an integral part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Orre
Among Census respondents with the surname Orre, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Black (7.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Orre bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Orre surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.9% · 78
- Two or more races8.4% · 9
- Black or African American7.5% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Orre
Orre appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,136 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,405 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,136 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 4,405 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Orre surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #151,639 | 2.8% |
| Count | 104 | 107 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Orre bearers went from 104 to 107 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 4,405 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #151,639.
FAQ
Orre surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Orre?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Orre. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Orre?
Orre ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Orre. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Orre.
Has Orre become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Orre went from 104 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Orre?
Among Census respondents with the surname Orre, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Black (7.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Orre in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.9% (78 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Orre appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.9%), Two or More Races (8.4%), Black (7.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Orre (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Orre mean?
A surname possibly related to rock or landscape features. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Orre (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Orre?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.