The Anglo-Saxon name Orne comes from when its first bearer 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]
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.
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, 1434, 1404, 1406, 1407, 1487, 1540, 1510, 1579, 1560, 1580, 1568, 1565, 1640, 1581, 1584 and 1587 are included under the topic Early Orne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Orne include Horn, Horne, Athorne, Athorn and others.
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. 1540), one of the "Carthusian Martyrs."
Robert Horne (c. 1510-1579), was an English churchman, and a leading reforming Protestant, one of the Marian exiles, he was subsequently Bishop...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Orne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Orne or a variant listed above: