Explore the Family Name Orell

The meaning of Orell

1. Catalan and Swiss German: from a personal name derived from the Latin name Aurelius (see Aurelio). 2. English (Lancashire): variant of Orrell. 3. Swedish: ornamental name from an unexplained first element (possibly from a placename) + the suffix -ell, a derivative of the Latin adjectival ending -elius. 4. In some cases also an Americanized form of Slovenian Orel ‘eagle’ or of the Serbian cognate Orelj, which is derived from an adjectival form of orao ‘eagle’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Orell in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Orell has seen a decline in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 79,958th most common surname, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 87,663rd spot, marking a decrease of 9.64%. The number of individuals carrying the Orell name also decreased during this period, with a count of 221 in 2000 dropping to 212 in 2010, reflecting a 4.07% reduction. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people fell by 12.5%, from 0.08 in 2000 to 0.07 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#79,958#87,663-9.64%
Count221212-4.07%
Proportion per 100k0.080.07-12.5%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Orell

The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides an insight into the ethnicity associated with the Orell surname. In 2000, 95.93% of those with the Orell name identified as White. This percentage dipped slightly to 91.98% by 2010, indicating a change of -4.12%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Orells identifying as Hispanic rose from zero to 3.77% over the same decade. There was also an appearance of individuals identifying with two or more races in the 2010 census, accounting for 2.36% of Orells. However, there were no respondents identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.

20002010Change
White95.93%91.98%-4.12%
Hispanic0%3.77%0%
Two or More Races0%2.36%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%