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Orel Family History

Orel Surname Meaning

Ukrainian, Slovenian, Czech, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Ukrainian, Slovenian, and Czech orel ‘eagle’ perhaps a nickname applied to a courageous person or in some of these languages a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of an eagle.

Compare Orell. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Orl a pet form of Aaron.

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


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Where is the Orel family from?

You can see how Orel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Orel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 3 Orel families living in British Columbia. This was 100% of all the recorded Orel's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Orel families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Orel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Orel. 30% of Orel men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Orel women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orel were Manager and Housework.

View Census Data for Orel | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    30%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Operator
    15%
  • Manager
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    50%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Housework
    25%

What Orel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Orel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Orel

Passenger Lists

There are 744 immigration records available for the last name Orel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Orel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Orel. For the veterans among your Orel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Orel family history

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What is the average Orel lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Orel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Orel in 1964 was 46, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Orel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orel ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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