Orne Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Orne comes from one of the family having worked as a person who carved objects out of horn or made musical instruments. This name was also given to a person who was employed as a hornblower; in the Middle Ages, workmen were often summoned to work by the blowing of a horn. The surname Orne may also be a patronym derived from the personal name Horn. It may also be a local name given to someone who lived in one of the settlements of Horne in Rutland, Somerset, or Surrey, or near a bend, spur, or tongue of land.

Another source notes that the name is "a well-known Old English personal name, probably of Norse origin. Aluuin Horne was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086." 1

Early Origins of the Orne family

The surname Orne was first found in Middlesex and Hertfordshire where "Alwin Horne held lands before the making of the Domesday." 2 "The name of Horn or Horne, at present well represented around Wisbech, is also found in Kent. It was also represented in these two counties in the 13th century, as well as in London, Suffolk, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hunts, Northamptonshire, and Wiltshire." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Adam Honi in Wiltshire, Henry Horn in Northamptonshire, Walter Horn in Oxfordshire, and Roger de Horne in Kent. 4 Over in Somerset, Kirby's Quest listed: William atte Horn and Thomas atte Home, temp 1 Edward III (in the first year of Edward III's reign. 5

Andrew Horne (d. 1328), Chamberlain of London and legal writer, "born in London, carried on the trade of a fishmonger in Bridge Street. In 1315 he, with fifteen other fishmongers, was summoned before the sheriffs of London on a charge of using dorsers or baskets 'not of rightful measure.' Horn and one other person were acquitted. He was elected chamberlain of the city in January 1319." 6

Further to the north in Scotland, "John Horn was beaten and evil-treated on the Border, 1279." 1 The "border" referenced was indeed the infamous border between England and Scotland, and events such as this may have precipitated King Edward I's intrusion into Scotland that took place in 1296.

Early History of the Orne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orne research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1279, 1400, 1404, 1406, 1407, 1434, 1487, 1510, 1540, 1560, 1565, 1568, 1579, 1580, 1581, 1584, 1587, 1610, 1614, 1640, 1654 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Orne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Orne Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Orne have been found, including: Horn, Horne, Athorne, Athorn and others.

Early Notables of the Orne family

Notables of the family at this time include

Henry Horne (fl. 1400-1434), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Kent in 1404 and Sheriff of Kent (1406-1407); Sir William Whorne, Lord Mayor of London in 1487; Brother William Horne (d. 1...
Robert Horne (c. 1510-1579), was an English churchman, and a leading reforming Protestant, one of the Marian exiles, he was subsequently Bishop of Winchester from 1560 to 1580. He was one of the Bisho...
Robert Horne (1565-1640), was an English divine, probably the Robert Horne 'pleb. fil.' of Newcastle who matriculated, aged 16, 25 Feb. 1581, at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and graduated B.A. 7 Feb. 1584...

Orne migration to Canada +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Orne, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Orne Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Joshua Orne, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

Contemporary Notables of the name Orne (post 1700) +

Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909), American novelist and short story writer, her family's home built in 1774 is now a National Historic Landmark and Historic New England museum

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print