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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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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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 1911 there were 926 Orr families living in Ontario. This was about 53% of all the recorded Orr's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Orr families in 1911.
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.
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What did your Orr ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Orr. 38% of Orr men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Orr women worked as an Income. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orr were Clerk and Farmer.

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 1921

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    12%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Farmer
    7%

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 Canadian 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 Canada, 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

You've only scratched the surface of Orr family history

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What is the average Orr lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Orr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Orr in 1944 was 32, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Orr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orr 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Orr family tree

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