Orr is a surname common throughout the English-speaking world, but especially in Scotland, Ulster, the United States, Canada, and northern England. The name is considered to have numerous origins: such as being derived from an Old Norse byname; a Gaelic nickname; and an Old English topographical name, or similar place-name.
There are numerous origins for the surname. The northern English, Scottish and Northern Irish surname is derived from the Old Norse byname Orri, meaning "blackcock" (a male black grouse). Another origin for the Scottish name is from the Gaelic odhar, meaning "pale", "dun". Another origin for the English name is from a topographical name for a person who lived on a shore, or ridge. This name is derived from the Old English ora, meaning "shore", "hill-slope", "flat-topped ridge". The name could also be derived from a place-name, derived from this Old English word; for example, the surname Ore is derived from Oare, in Berkshire, Kent; and Wiltshire; or Ore, in East Sussex. Padraig Mac Giolla Domhnaigh, suggested that the Irish surname originates from an Anglicisation of Gaelic Mac Iomhaire. Mac Giolla Domhnaigh stated that this was an old name from Renfrewshire, and a sept of the Campbells; he stated that the name was earlier spelt Mac Ure.
In Ireland the name is common only in Ulster, and mainly found in County Antrim, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. The first recorded evidence of the name in Ulster is of those who came from Scotland with Sir Hugh Montgomery in 1606 to settle in North Down on lands ceded by the O'Neill family. They were chiefly Presbyterian, with some Episcopalians, and a few Roman Catholics and Quakers. According to Bell, the earliest record of the name in Ireland is that of a family in County Tyrone in 1655. However, according to Orr, the earliest record of the name in Ireland is of Richard Orr of Clontarf in 1563.
In Scotland, the name is first known to have been recorded in Renfrewshire. Historian Edward MacLysaght suggests that the name in Scotland derives from the parish of Orr in Kirkcudbrightshire. Indeed, the River Orr flowed through the area. A tradition of some of the Orrs in Northern Ireland has it that they were descended from outlawed brothers whose original family name was McLean; they crossed this river and then made their way by boat to Donaghadee in County Down in the early 17th century. Having escaped persecution, they took river's name as their surname and settled in Newtownards.
Aki Orr (1931-2013), Israeli writer and activistAlexander D. Orr (1761–1835), American farmer and politicianAlexander Ector Orr (1831–1914), pioneer of the New York City subway systemAlice Orr-Ewing (born 1989), British actressAlice Greenough Orr (1902–1995), American rodeo starAndy Orr (born 1980), member of the Irish band SixSir Archibald Orr-Ewing, 1st Baronet (1847–1893), Scottish politicianAshley Rose Orr (born 1990), American actressBenjamin Orr (1947–2000), bass guitarist of The CarsBenjamin Orr (Massachusetts politician) (1772–1828), American politicianBobby Orr (born 1948), Canadian Hall-of-Fame ice hockey playerBradley Orr (born 1982), English footballerBuxton Orr (1924–1997), British composerC. Rob Orr (born 1950), American swimmer and coachCharles Lindsay Orr-Ewing (1860–1903), Scottish politicianCharles Wilfred Orr (1893–1976), English composerChristopher Orr (disambiguation), several peopleColton Orr (born 1982), Canadian ice hockey playerDanny Orr (born 1979), English rugby league footballerDanny Orr (born 1989), Little Tiny HandsDave Orr (1859–1915), American baseball playerDavid Orr (born 1944), American politicianDavid Malcolm Orr (born 1953), UK civil engineerDavid W. Orr, American professor of environmental studies and politicsDavid Orr (journalist) (born 1974), American journalist and poetry reviewerDavid Orr (businessman) (1922–2008), Anglo-Irish businessman, philanthropist and World War II veteranDeborah Orr (born 1962), British newspaper columnistDouglas Orr (1892–1966), American architectEmma Restall Orr (born 1965), British neo-druidEric Orr (1939-1998), American artistGary Orr (born 1967), Scottish golferGregory Orr (filmmaker) (born 1954), American writer and directorGregory Orr (poet) (born 1947), American poetGustavus Orr (1819–1887), early pioneer for public education in GeorgiaH. Allen Orr, American professorJames Lawrence Orr (May 12, 1822 – May 5, 1873) was an American politician who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives in the United States Congress. Also served in the Confederate Congress. Financed Orr's Palmetto Sharpshooters SC MiIlitia. Served as the 73rd Governor of South Carolina and Ambassador to Russia.James Orr (disambiguation), several peopleJimmy Orr (born 1935), American football playerJohn Orr (disambiguation), several peopleJohnny Orr (basketball, born 1927) (born 1927), American basketball coachJonathan Orr (born 1983), American football playerKay A. Orr (born 1939), American politicianLeonard Orr (born c. 1938), American developer of "Rebirthing-breathwork"Louis Orr (born 1958), American basketball coach and former playerM. A. Orr (1867–1949), British astronomer and Dante scholar, aka "Mary Ackworth Orr Evershed"Margaret Orr, American television meteorologistMarion Alice Orr (1918–1995), Canadian aviatorMary Orr (1910–2006), American authorMatthew Orr (born 1962), British entrepreneurPete Orr (born 1979), Canadian baseball playerPhilip Orr (born 1950), Irish Rugby International prop-forwardRobert Orr (disambiguation), several peopleRobin Orr (1909–2006), Scottish composerRodney Orr (died 1994), American NASCAR driverShantee Orr (born 1981), American football playerSheena Shirley Orr (born 1959), original name of Scottish singer Sheena EastonStephens Orr, Scottish photographerSydney Sparkes Orr (1914–1966), British/Australian philosopherVickie Orr (born 1967), American basketball playerVirgil Orr (born 1923), Louisiana educator and politicianWarren H. Orr (1888-1962), American jurist and politicianWarren Orr, Australian rugby league footballerWesley Fletcher Orr (1831–1898), Canadian businessman, journalist and politicianWilliam Orr (disambiguation), several peopleWilliam McFadden Orr (1866–1934), Irish mathematicianWilliam T. Orr (1917–2002), American television producerWyc Orr (1946-2014), American politician and lawyerOrr, bomber pilot in Catch-22George Orr, protagonist in the novel The Lathe of Heaven
