Orrett - Name

This name, with variant spellings Orrett, Oret, Orehead, Orred etc., derives from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name Wulfraed, a compound of "wulf", a wolf, plus "raed", counsel; hence, "wolf-counsel". The surname adopted from the personal name first appears on recorded in the latter part of the 13th Century, (see below). One, Nicholas Ored was recorded in the "Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire", dated 1279. This form i.e. "ored" results from the gradual but unattested development of the personal name from Wulfraed to Ulfraed, later becoming Hulfraed and then Ored. In the same manner the Old English given name Wulfric gave rise to such modern surnames as Hurry and Orrey. On February 16th 1595 one, Cathren Orehead appears in the marriage registers of Frodsham, Cheshire and on July 22nd 1610 Jane Orrett was christened in Eastham, Cheshire. Charles Orritt, an infant was christened in Woolchurch Haw, London on October 9th 1751. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Orede, which was dated 1275, in the "The Hundred Rolls of Suffolk", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.