The Orton surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,720 people carried this name — #5,201 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 43,900 people counted. That is up 8% from 6,246 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Orton surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Orton’.

An early record he cites: Henry de Orton, Suffolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 573 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Orton was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland: 34 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 294. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Leicestershire and Rutland 34
Warwickshire 15

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

21 families named Orton, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 144 people lived in those households, 6.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 8
Virginia 4
Vermont 3
New York 3
Massachusetts 2
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 256 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Orton in American newspapers,
1851–1911.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Orton
The Sun 1878-04-23
Newspaper page from Fremont Weekly Freeman carrying the name Orton
Fremont Weekly Freeman 1851-09-13
Newspaper page from Dakota County Herald carrying the name Orton
Dakota County Herald 1911-08-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,118 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Orton in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1980s.

12,563 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Orton. The most, 1,950, date from the 1900s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,554
Victoria 3,512
Western Australia 2,417
Queensland 1,739
Tasmania 744
South Australia 535
ACT (Canberra) 35
Northern Territory 10

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Orton.

Who carried it

People named Orton,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Job Orton
    Job Orton 1717–1783 · Christian minister
  • Harlow S. Orton
    Harlow S. Orton 1817–1895 · judge
  • William Orton
    William Orton 1826–1878 · businessperson
  • Edward Orton, Sr.
    Edward Orton, Sr. 1829–1899 · geologist
  • Janet Payne Orton d. 1799
  • Amelia Sophia Orton 1760–1799

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Orton,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States556 records

556 records of the Orton name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 202
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 95
  • Other U.S. records 259
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leonard C. Orton

    Born 1924 in Canada. Enlisted 1942 at Tacoma, Washington; bank clerk from King County, Washington. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1988, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Orton

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Richmond from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; laborer. From Durham, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kenneth William Orton

    Born 1941; from Kenmore, New York. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 556 records for Orton in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia374 records

374 records of the Orton name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 173
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 71
  • Other Australian records 130
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Samuel Orton

    Died 1877 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 76. Will registered in Tasmania in 1877.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Orton

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Barossa, arriving 1839; ticket of leave 1846. Native of Leics.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Chas Orton

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Constance, aged 21; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 374 records for Orton in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada46 records

46 records of the Orton name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 17
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 14
  • Other Canadian records 15
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Orton

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Hibernian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edith Orton

    Buried in 1975 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 77.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ella Florence Orton

    Died 1954 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 46 records for Orton in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom21 records

21 records of the Orton name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  • Other British records 2
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Duncan Orton

    Born 1900 at Kingussie; grocer. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Kennedy Joesph Previte Orton

    Will proved in 1930; of Bangor, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Orton

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 21 records for Orton in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the Orton name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patricia Eileen Margaret Orton

    Died 1954, aged 19; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Orton

    Died 1926, aged 72; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Willoughby Orton

    Died 1908, aged 31; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Orton in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Orton name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Peter Orton

    Born 1940 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Dagmar Tyra Florentine Orton

    Born 1913 in Sweden; died 1996 in Menton (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Kathleen Patricia Orton

    Born 1923 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Caen (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Orton name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Orton

    Married in 1600 in Delft; soldier, born in Scotland.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Orton.

When the index is not enough

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