Orange History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Orange reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Orange family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Orange 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 Orange familyThe surname Orange 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 Orange familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orange 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 Orange History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Orange Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Orange, Orenge, Orringe and others. Early Notables of the Orange familyOutstanding 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... Orange RankingIn the United States, the name Orange is the 7,312nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6 However, in France, the name Orange is ranked the 4,921st most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 7
Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Orange name or one of its variants: Orange Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Orange Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Orange Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Orange Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Orange Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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