Show ContentsOrmrod History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Ormrod is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in a clearing in a wood. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old Scandinavian personal name Ormr and the Old English word rod, which meant "forest clearing." The name as a whole means "clearing of a man named Ormr." The original bearer lived in or near a clearing known by this name.

Early Origins of the Ormrod family

The surname Ormrod was first found in Lancashire where the first recorded ancestor was Matthew de Hormerodes, living about 1270. 1

Early History of the Ormrod family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ormrod research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1653 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Ormrod History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ormrod Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Ormrod family name include Ormerod, Omerod, Omrod, Ormrod and others.

Early Notables of the Ormrod family

More information is included under the topic Early Ormrod Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Ormrod migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ormrod Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Ormrod, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Mr. Peter Ormrod, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Ormrod (post 1700) +

  • William Mark Ormrod FRHistS (1957-2020), Welsh historian of the English later Middle Ages
  • Joseph Alan Ormrod (b. 1942), former English first class cricketer
  • Anne Ormrod (b. 1987), New Zealand former association football player who represented New Zealand
  • Sir Roger Fray Greenwood Ormrod (1911-1992), British Privy Councillor, Lord Justice of Appeal (1974–1982) and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
  • Mark Ormrod (b. 1982), Australian silver medalist runner at the 2004 Summer Olympics
  • Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton (1874-1960), Scottish architect

RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Thomas Ormrod, English Greaser from Everton, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 4
  • Mr. James Ormrod, English Greaser from Everton, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 4


  1. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
  4. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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