Orchard Family History

English:: topographic or occupational name from residence near (or perhaps employment at) an orchard Middle English orchard (Old English ortgeard orceard). Habitational name from any of the places called Orchard.

Those in Devon and Somerset are named from Old English ortgeard orceard (a compound of wort wyrt ‘plant’ (later associated with Latin hortus ‘garden’) + geard ‘yard enclosure’).

While East and West Orchard near Shaftesbury in Dorset derive from Primitive Welsh ar ‘beside in front of facing’ + ced ‘wood’.

Rare variant of Scottish Urquhart. Compare Orahood.