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

Orser, 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 Orser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orser in America

Orser is the 40610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orser surname appeared 538 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 Orser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orser 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 Orser

The surname Orser has its origins in the Old French language, deriving from the word "orsier" which means "bear keeper" or "bear ward." This occupational name dates back to the Middle Ages, when bear-baiting was a popular form of entertainment among the nobility and the wealthy classes in parts of Europe.

The earliest known record of the Orser surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in England. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Orsur" and "Orsor," indicating its French roots and the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Orser surname was Sir William Orser, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Sir William was renowned for his bravery and skill on the battlefield, and his exploits were chronicled in several contemporary accounts of the war.

In the 16th century, the Orser family established themselves in the county of Oxfordshire, England, where they were known as landowners and influential members of the local community. John Orser (1520-1589) was a prominent figure in this area and served as a magistrate and a member of the local gentry.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Orser (1632-1705), who was a wealthy widow and philanthropist in London. She endowed several charitable institutions and bequeathed a significant portion of her fortune to support the education of underprivileged children.

During the 18th century, the Orser name spread across the British Isles and beyond, with members of the family migrating to the American colonies and other parts of the world. One such individual was Thomas Orser (1745-1812), who served as a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, the Orser family continued to flourish, with several members achieving prominence in various fields. Sir Robert Orser (1812-1888) was a notable British politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Bahamas and the High Commissioner to the Ionian Islands.

Throughout its history, the Orser surname has been associated with a diverse range of occupations and achievements, reflecting the varied paths and contributions of its bearers across different regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orser

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

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

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

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