Surname Ormerod - Meaning and Origin

Ormerod: What does the surname Ormerod mean?

Ormerod is a surname of Old Norse origin, deriving from the elements "ormr" meaning 'serpent' or 'dragon', and "rodr" meaning 'clearing'. It geographically relates to the Ormerod Farm in Rossendale in Lancashire, England. Hence, the name can be interpreted as someone who lived in or near the "clearing of the dragon/serpent", signifying a location. Its variants might include Ormrod, Ormeroid, or Ormroyd. The emphasis of wildlife depicts the closeness of the originators of the name to nature. It has been used as a family name since the early Middle Ages, passing from one generation to the next. It is somewhat rare as a first name but quite common as a last name. David Ormerod, Ellen Ann Ormerod, and George Ormerod are few of the notable people with this surname. Moreover, it is important to remember that surnames might have evolved significantly over time, and so the current meanings may not accurately depict the original sense of the name Ormerod.

Ormerod: Where does the name Ormerod come from?

The surname Ormerod is of English origin and has its roots in the county of Lancashire. It is derived from a place near Bacup in Lancashire, known as Ormerod. The name Ormerod itself is composed of two Old English words: “ormr,” which means dragon or serpent, and “rod,” which translates to clearing. Thus, it might be inferred that Ormerod signifies a "clearing of serpents".

Ormerod is not a common surname and its bearers are spread sporadically around the world. However, it is still relatively more frequent in England, specifically in Lancashire where it originated. People with the last name Ormerod can also be found in other English-speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, likely due to the historic British diaspora. Also, due to the pattern of international migration, some bearers of the surname Ormerod may be located in South Africa. Despite this, the prevalence of the Ormerod surname outside of England remains fairly low. The surname remains less common compared to other British-origin surnames.

Variations of the surname Ormerod

The surname Ormerod can be traced back to English origin, specifically from Lancashire in northwestern England. This surname is derived from a place name meaning "orme's rood," where "orme" is a personal name and "rood" refers to a cross.

Different variations of the surname Ormerod include Ormrod, Ormerode, Ormrode, Ormeroode, and Ormerodes. These variants can be found in historical archives where phonetic spelling variations were commonly used as standard spelling rules were not yet established.

As for surnames of the same origin, it may include Lancashire-based surnames such as Orme, which is considered the base for Ormerod. Other English surnames such as Rawsthorne, Radcliffe, Livesey, Mawdesley, Houghton may share the same geographical origins as Ormerod.

However, whilst all these surnames originate from the Lancashire region, it doesn't necessarily imply direct kinship or relationship among the bearers; they simply share a common geographical origin.

Ormerod going back in time has also been linked to the Norse-Viking name Ormr derived from the Old Norse meaning serpent or dragon, although this connection is slightly less direct.

Famous people with the name Ormerod

• Michelle Ormerod: An English television presenter and journalist from Blackpool in Lancashire.
• Kevin Ormerod: A former professional footballer born in Manchester who represented a number of English clubs.
• Douglas Ormerod: A British artist, printmaker and sculptor whose works are held in the collections of major galleries.
• Christopher Ormerod: An English physician and former Oxford University professor who is the current president of the British Cardiac Society.
• Steven Ormerod: An Australian professor at Cardiff University in the School of Biosciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.
• Allen Ormerod: An English curate and science historian who authored 'A History of Science and Technology in the Nineteenth Century'.
• Phil Ormerod: A British photographer and filmmaker known for his work in portrait and editorial photography.
• Blanche Ormerod: An English-born Canadian actress, singer and voice teacher best known for playing Mrs. Hoggett in the 1995 film Babe.
• George Ormerod: An English antiquarian and topographer noted for his monumental county history of Cheshire first published in 1819.
• Mary Ormerod: A noted paleontologist and conchologist whose research includes the first description of the Halitherium genus of mammals and the publication of 'A Monograph of Recent and Fossil Aporrhaidae'.

Other surnames

O BoeyO BoweÓ CanainnO CarrollO ConaillÓ ConchobhairÓ CuinÓ CuinnÓ DaimhínÓ DálaighO DalyÓ DómhnaillÓ DonnchadhaÓ DubhdaraÓ DuibhínÓ DuibhirO DuireO DuvireÓ FeoreO FlanaganÓ FuereÓ FureyÓ FuryO GaraO GuineyO GuinidheO GuinyeO HanlonÓ HANNÁINO Hart

Comments or additions to the name "Ormerod"

17.01.2024
Hi my name is Ormrod.
I've come to the conclusion that the Rod
Is really Rood which in old English means red and still does in the Netherlands.
And not a forest.
Please read a book called Rood orm.to shed more light on this historic name......