Surname Orenshaw - Meaning and Origin
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Orenshaw: What does the surname Orenshaw mean?
The last name Orenshaw is English in origin and is associated with a small village in Merseyside, England. It is derived from the old English words 'oren' meaning 'east' and 'shaw' meaning 'thicket'. According to the book 'The Origin and Meaning of Place Names', the village of Orenshaw was located near a river in a 'scrubby section of woods'. Over time, it is believed the surname Orenshaw came to refer to a person who lived near or worked in such a place.
The surname has also been spelt "Ornshaw" and is believed to have been first found in Lancashire in the southeast of England. The name may also have been found in other parts of England such as in Yorkshire and Staffordshire.
In the United States, the surname Orenshaw is found in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and New York. In other parts of the world, the surname is found in Canada, Australia, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany.
The Orenshaws were believed to be an established and educated family of English decent and many of the Orenshaws were involved in the clergy in the 1920s.
In modern times, the Orenshaws still remain associated with their original location in Merseyside, England and are known for their independent nature and values. Many of the Orenshaws in the contemporary world are involved in education, the armed forces, technology and the business sector.
Order DNA origin analysisOrenshaw: Where does the name Orenshaw come from?
The last name Orenshaw is most commonly found in the United States with a concentration in the Midwest region. The two states with the highest number of Orenshaw households are Indiana and Ohio.
The first instance of the Orenshaw name in the United States dates back to the late eighteenth century in Pennsylvania. According to records, James Orenshaw and his family emigrated from England and settled in the city of Philadelphia in 1798.
The name Orenshaw has grown in popularity over the years and is now spread out across the United States due to migration and intermarrying. The 2000 US census revealed that over 2000 people had the last name Orenshaw, with Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Michigan and Ohio being the main states of residence.
The Orenshaw family name is also fairly common in the United Kingdom. It has a strong presence in the city of Liverpool and has its roots there going back to the 18th century. Orenshaw is also found in other urban areas of England, Scotland and Wales, but with a more sparse population.
Overall, the name Orenshaw is quite widely spread and is most commonly found in the Midwest region of the United States today.
Variations of the surname Orenshaw
The surname Orenshaw is of English origin. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include: Orenshay, Orenshe, Orenshee, Orenshey, Orenshie, Oranshoe, Oranshay, Oranshee, Oranshey, Oranshie, Oranshoo, Oranshow, Oranshoy, Oransy, Orance, Orence, Orense, Orinshaw, Orinshay, Orinshee, Orinshey, Orinshie, Orinshoo, Orinshow, Orinshoy, Orinsy, Orynshaw, Orynshay, Orynshee, Orynshey, Orynshie, Orynshoo, Orynshow, Orynshoy, Orynsy, Orynshe, Oreanshoe, Oreanshay, Oreanshee, Oreanshey, Oreanshie, Oreanshoo, Oreanshow, Oreanshoy, Oreansy, Oreshe, Orenshoo, Orehshaw, Orehshay, Orehshee, Orehshey, Orehshoo, Orehshow, Orehshoy, Orehsy, Orienshay, Orienshee, and Orienshey.
The related names Oring and Oringe are also included, which have an unknown origin. Orin may be a variant of Oren, which itself is derived from the Low German (or Old Norse) Huern meaning "warrior" or "camp of the warriors." Oren is also considered a Hebrew name meaning "pine tree".
The surname Orenshaw is also known to have been used as a maternal line, in which case the surname could have been adopted as part of the mother's maiden name.
Famous people with the name Orenshaw
- James Orenshaw, an English cricketer.
- Danny Orenshaw, an American footballer.
- C. Orenshaw, a physicist who worked for the US Air Force in the 1920s.
- Andy Orenshaw, an Australian rugby player.
- John Orenshaw, a British chemist who discovered a chemical reaction called the Orenshaw reaction.
- Jack Orenshaw, an American actor who appeared in films such as 'The Wild West Show' (1930) and 'The Terror of the Range' (1935).
- Winslow Orenshaw, a Canadian logger and entrepreneur.
- John Orenshaw, a British geologist and explorer who studied the glacial areas of northern Canada.
- Keith Orenshaw, a French photographer who was the creator of the first aerial photographs of the Eiffel Tower.
- Hilary Orenshaw, an American writer, film historian, curator of artifacts, and collector of indigenous art.