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Orr Family History

Orr Surname Meaning

English: from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Orre (Old Norse Orri originally a byname meaning ‘black grouse’).

Scottish (southwestern): nickname from Scottish Gaelic odhar ‘dun of sallow complexion’.

This surname is also common in Ireland.

It was brought to Ulster from Scotland in the 17th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Orr family from?

You can see how Orr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Orr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 131 Orr families living in Ohio. This was about 17% of all the recorded Orr's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Orr families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orr surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Orr ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Orr. 17% of Orr men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Orr women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orr were Truck Driver and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Orr | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    17%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    9%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%

What Orr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 327,000 census records available for the last name Orr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Orr

Passenger Lists

There are 49,000 immigration records available for the last name Orr. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Orr immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 58,000 military records available for the last name Orr. For the veterans among your Orr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orr military records

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