| {{ad}} |
|
|
|
| Origins Available: |
| | Germany |
The roots of the distinguished German surname Orndorfer are somewhat unclear. The name is thought to be derived from theMiddle High German words "arn," meaning "eagle," and "dorff," meaning "village;" in this case, the name would denote "eagle village." Alternatively, the first part of the name may be derived from the Middle High German "horn," meaning "projecting hill" or "spur of land." In this instance, the name would indicate "a village on a hill." There is no known city bearing the name "Orndorff;" the name may be a nickname used by the citizens in description of the town. In either case, the surname Orndorfer would probably have been initially borne by a resident of this unknown town.
The surname Orndorfer was first found in various regions in Germany. It is likely that there were once several towns in Germany known popularly as "Orndorff"; thus, the surname may have emerged independently in several different areas. The Orndorfer family was instrumental during these early times, playing an important role in the development of medieval German society.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orndorfer research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1862 and 1927 are included under the topic Early Orndorfer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Orndorf, Orndorff, Orndorfer, Orndorrfer and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Orndorfer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Johan Peter Orndorff and Johann Conrad Orndorff, who both settled in Pennsylvania in 1753; and Daniel Orndorff, who came to Baltimore in 1826.