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Orson Family History

Orson Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Orston in Nottinghamshire. The placename probably means ‘farmstead associated with a man called Ōsica’.

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


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Where is the Orson family from?

You can see how Orson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Orson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 32 Orson families living in Leicestershire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Orson's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Orson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Orson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Butcher and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Orson. 50% of Orson men worked as a Butcher and 88% of Orson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orson were Transport Worker To Window Cleaning Co and Domestic Work.

View Census Data for Orson | 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 1939

  • Butcher
    50%
  • Transport Worker To Window Cleaning Co
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    88%
  • Teacher Retired
    7%
  • Domestic Work
    7%

What Orson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Orson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Orson

Passenger Lists

There are 669 immigration records available for the last name Orson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Orson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 436 military records available for the last name Orson. For the veterans among your Orson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Orson family history

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What is the average Orson lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Orson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Orson in 1963 was 81, and 93 in 2003.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orson 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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