Orendge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Orendge is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Orendge family lived in Buckinghamshire. The name, however, is a reference to Orange, in the department of Mayenne, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Another derivation of the name suggests that it originated as a nickname used to distinguish someone who was associated with the color orange, possibly through habitually dressing in the color. The two derivations are equally valid, but since time has obscured most records historians now disagree on which is appropriate in individual cases.

Eutropius of Orange (died 475) was Bishop of Orange, France, during the 5th century as was Saint Florentius of Orange, Bishop of the city of Orange in France around 517-524.

Early Origins of the Orendge family

The surname Orendge was first found in Buckinghamshire, where they were granted lands for assisting William the Conqueror. The name is derived from the place named Orange in the département of Mayenne. King William III of England, Prince of Orange has called historians attention to this area. William, Walter, Ralph and John Orenge were registered in Normandy between 1180 and 1195. 1 William de Orange held in Bedford 1165. 2

"A William de Orenge is a Domesday tenant in Buckinghamshire. Whence this 'William of Orange' came, I cannot guess; certainly not, I should say, from the district from which his great namesake, some six hundred years later, originally had his title, that being a small town and ancient principality in the South of France, about twenty miles from Avignon, and formerly a dependency of Holland." 3 4

In the singular form, the Curia Regis Rolls listed Orengia (1201) and Horenga (1204) in Oxfordshire. The Feet of Fines for Essex included Orenga in 1226 and later the Assize Rolls for Bedfordshire listed Orenge in 1247. Sibel and John Orenge were found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and later, Alexander Orrynge was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 5

Early History of the Orendge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orendge research. Another 42 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1296, 1327, 1480, 1504, 1510, 1515, 1529 and 1538 are included under the topic Early Orendge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Orendge Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Orange, Orenge, Orringe and others.

Early Notables of the Orendge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William de Orenge, 11th century landholder. John Orenge (by 1480-1538 or later), of London, Exeter and Plymouth, Devon and Wimborne Minster, Dorset, was...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Orendge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Orendge family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Orendge or a variant listed above: Sivillius Orange, who sailed to Virginia in 1664; Louiss Orange came to Jamestown Virginia in 1700 with his wife and child; Benjamin and William Orange sailed to Philadelphia in 1820..

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)