This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Orange family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Orange Family History

Orange Surname Meaning

French: habitational name from one of the many places called Orange in France, perhaps most prominently Orange in Vaucluse, from which the noble House of Orange took its name. It is also found in England as a surname of Huguenot origin.

English: usually a variant of Orridge, either from the Middle English personal name Ordrich, Orrich (Old English Ordrīc from ord ‘point, spear’ + rīc ‘power, realm’) with post-medieval voicing of the final consonant to give Orridge, or from a de-aspirated form of Horridge and Horwich (both habitational names from any of the places called Horwich in Lancashire and Derbyshire) with the addition of an intrusive -n-.

English: from the Middle English (Old French) female personal name Orenge, probably a variant of Orege (from Latin Oregia) with Anglo-Norman French intrusive -n- before -g-, as in English passenger for Old French passager.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Orange family from?

You can see how Orange families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orange family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Orange families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 180 Orange families living in Yorkshire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Orange's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Orange families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orange surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Orange ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Orange. 14% of Orange men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Orange women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orange were Electrical Engineer and Unpaid Domestic Duti.

View Census Data for Orange | 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

  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Coal Hewer
    9%
  • Cotton Weaver
    9%
  • Electrical Engineer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%

What Orange family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 81,000 census records available for the last name Orange. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orange census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Orange

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Orange. 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 Orange immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Orange. For the veterans among your Orange ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orange military records

You've only scratched the surface of Orange family history

Discover More

What is the average Orange lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Orange life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Orange in 1945 was 67, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Orange

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orange 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 Orange family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial