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

Orth, 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 Orth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orth in America

Orth is the 5482nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orth surname appeared 6,345 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Orth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orth 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 Orth

The surname ORTH is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old High German word "ort," meaning a point or a corner, which later evolved into the modern German word "Ort," meaning a place or a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ORTH can be found in the Codex Traditionum Ecclasiae Raitenavensis, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 11th century, which mentions an individual named Ortho. This suggests that the name was already in use in German-speaking regions during that time period.

The name ORTH is also closely associated with place names, particularly in areas where German settlers established communities. For example, the town of Orth an der Donau in Austria is believed to have been named after the geographical feature of a point or a corner along the Danube River.

One of the notable individuals bearing the surname ORTH was Johann Orth (1474-1542), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and contributed to the translation of the Bible into German.

Another prominent figure was Christian Orth (1575-1637), a German composer and organist who served as the court musician for the Elector of Saxony. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded during his lifetime and influenced subsequent generations of composers.

In the 19th century, Johann Wilhelm Orth (1803-1880) was a German architect known for his work in the neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic styles. He designed several notable buildings, including the St. Matthias Church in Berlin and the Klosterkirche in Lübeck.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the United States was Johann Orth, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732 from the German Palatinate region. His descendants later migrated westward and established themselves in various parts of the country.

Another notable American with the surname ORTH was Samuel P. Orth (1873-1958), a politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana. He was a prominent figure in the Republican Party and played a role in shaping legislation during his tenure in Congress.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orth

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

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

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

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