Surname Orm - Meaning and Origin
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Orm: What does the surname Orm mean?
The last name Orm is of Norse origin and it directly translates to "serpent" or "dragon." It is a shortened form of the name Ormr, often used in the Viking era. Names including or derived from "Orm" commonly appear in Old Norse literature. Examples are Ormurinn Langi, which means "the long serpent" or "the long snake" and was the name of a famous ship; and Ormr Steinþórsson, a 12th-century Icelandic warrior-poet.
In the UK, the surname Orm became more prevalent in regions, where Norse invasions and settlements were common, particularly in the North. In many cases, it might also have been adopted as a nickname, in the Middle Ages, due to its association with a dragon's qualities such as power and fierceness.
Order DNA origin analysisOrm: Where does the name Orm come from?
The last name Orm is commonly found today in countries with Scandinavian heritage, primarily Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. It is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Ormr, which is derived from either the Old Norse male given name aurr ("Serpent; Dragon"), or its nickname form, arni. The surname is quite common in all five countries, though the concentration of it is higher in Norway than other countries.
In Norway, it is the 11th most common last name, representing 0.58% of the total population. In Denmark, it is in 44th place, representing 0.20% of the population. In Sweden, it is at 81st place, representing 0.09% of the population. In Finland, the surname is in 119th place, representing 0.04% of the population. In Iceland, it is found in 867th place, representing 0.004% of the population.
In the United States, the surname Orm is also found, but is much less common than in the Scandinavian countries. It is estimated to be the 16,346th most common last name, with a frequency of 0.00073%. The highest concentration of this last name is found in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, with Wisconsin having the highest concentration of it in any single state.
Variations of the surname Orm
The surname Orm has numerous variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Variants include Ohrm, Orme, Ormiston, Ormand, Ormitt, Ormston, Orth, Orthman, Orthis, Orht, Ohlth, Ormwood, Ormrode, Ormrod, Ormstone, Ormiston, Ormrodia, Ormish, Orthard, Orthart, Orf, Hondryd, Hofmeister, Olfert, Ortt, and Olt.
The most common spelling, "Orm," likely stems from a variety of sources. It may be derived from Anglo-Saxon origin, with the variants "orm" and "ohrm" being derived from the Old English personal name "Ēorm," meaning "dragon" or "serpent," and was likely a nickname given to someone who acted in a fierce or brave manner.
The spelling "Orme" is thought to derive from the Old Norse name "Ormr," meaning "snake" or "serpent," and derived from the same source as the “orm” variant. The Old Norse spelling of "ormr" was likely introduced into England during the Viking invasions of the 9th and 10th centuries.
The variants "Orth" and "Orthman" are Germanic, while "Orthard," "Orthart," and "Ohlth" are Dutch and Northern Germanic. The Dutch and Northern Germanic variants can be traced to the Middle Low German word, "ort," meaning "point" or "edge."
The Scottish and Northern English spellings of "Ormand," "Ormitt," and "Ormston" likely derive from the Old English "earm," meaning "poor" or "needy," and may have indicated that the originator of the surname was of humble means.
The surname "Ormwood" is derived from a place-name, which itself likely originated from the Old English "orm," meaning "serpent," and "wudu," meaning "wood."
The variants "Ormrode," "Ormrod," and "Ormstone" are derived from the Old English "orm," meaning "serpent," combined with "rād," meaning "ride" or "journey," and "stān," meaning "stone" or "rock."
Finally, the German variant "Hofmeister" is derived from the Germanic words "hovo," meaning "court" or "manor," and "maister," meaning "master."
Famous people with the name Orm
- Lampiao Orm, Portuguese rock musician.
- Joakim Orm, Swedish actor.
- Anders Orm, Norwegian ski-er.
- Selma Sofia Orm, Swedish pop singer.
- Solveig Orm, Norwegian professonal triathlete.
- Thomas Orm, British actor.
- Ole Orm, Norwegian cross-country skiier.
- Jens Orm, Norwegian artist.
- Andreas Orm, Swedish TV host.
- Kjellfrid Orm, Norwegian politician.
- Karl Orm, Swedish film director.
- Bud Orm, American mountain guide.
- Morten Orm, Norwegian snowboarder.
- Pim Orm, Dutch-born anti-nuclear activist and writer.
- Elin Orm, Norwegian filmmaker and photographer.
- Maurits Orm, Dutch playwright.
- Ramon Orm, Venezuelan-Canadian salsa singer.
- Hans Orm, Swedish footballer.
- Katrina Orm, Australian potter.
- Kalle Orm, Swedish hurdler.