Of our usual surname authorities, only de Bhulbh's Sloinnte na hEireann/Irish Surnames lists the English surname Orpen, remarking that this noted artistic family first appeared in Kerry in the 17th century. Current telephone directories list 13 of this name, mainly in the 05 and 06 areas. Basil Cottle's Penguin Dictionary of Surnames does not contain this name, so it appears not to be now extant in England. The Civil Survey (1654-58) notes William Orpine with two premises on High Street, in Waterford city - "A Backhouse to ye streete ye walls stone and slated 44x18" the other being 18x18, with a yard between 15x12.
The 1659 "census" notes that John Orpin, gent, was of the garrison in the Co Antrim town of Carrickfergus. Regarding a leasing of 1721, The Kenmare Manu- scripts mentions Thomas Orpin of Killowen in the parish of Kenmare. Around 1759 the same source, writing of a particular tenant, remarks that he was one of an industrious colony of Protestants settled about Mr Orpin's in Glenerough. The compiler, Thomas 4th Viscount Kenmare, remarks of Orpin that "the dealing with him may be a means of procuring me more of the same stamp". Taylor & Skinner's 1778 Maps of the Roads of Ireland locates Orpen, Esq at Ardtully, east of the town of Kenmare. It was in the Kenmare area that five of the seven Orpens are located in the 1814 Directory. The other two were in Co Cork, one at Sandyhill, Macroom, the other at Nettleville, Macroom.
The Dublin Directory of 1837 lists Basil Orpen, esq, attorney, Monkstown; John Orpen, solicitor, 50 Dame Street; and at 40 North Great Georges Street were Robert J. Theodore Orpen, solicitor to the Clerical Society and to the Church Lay Association, 40 North Great Georges Street, and Charles Edward Herbert Orpen.
Apart from Orpen holdings of 127 acres in Co Wicklow, and 629 acres in Co Cavan, Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards (1876) shows six substantial holdings in Co Cork, the largest being the 2,204 acres at Elm Park, Farran. In Co Waterford Basil Orpen, Marston (elsewhere Marshtown), Ballyduff, had 2,188 acres, with a further 403 in Co Cork. But the larger ones were the 12,873 Co Kerry acres of Dublin-residing Sir Richard Orpen, and the 4,348 acres of Richard H. Orpen, Killaha Castle, Killarney.
The following notice was among the forthcoming marriages listed by Anthologia Hibernica for December 1795. "At Movidy Church, Richard Orpen, of Ardtully, in the county of Kerry, esq to Miss Nettles, of Nettleville, in the county of Cork". It appears that this Richard was a cliamhain isteach (he married in) to Nettleville, as the 1814 Directory gives Rev Bazil Orpin as the then resident at Nettleville. Nettleville Demesne is a townland in the Co Cork parish of Cannaway. Bernard O'Donoghue, in his Parish Histories and Place Names of West Cork, says this was named from Nettleville Hall of Neville Nettles. It was, he says, previously part of Mahallagh townland, which he gives as Magh Shailleach - "plain of the sally trees", or possibly Magh Eallach - "field of the cattle".
Ian d`Alton's Protestant Society and Politics in Cork 1812-1844 says that an important change occurred in southern Orangeism after 1832 when " . . . the general feeling there was, that the Orange institution was the best and most effectual means of checking it (repeal), and 120 gentlemen of the first rank in the country became members of the Grand Lodge . . ." Among those who joined in Cork was Robert Nettles. Owners (1876) notes Robert Nettles on 1,694 acres at Nettleville. There were but two others in Co Cork - Miss Nettles with two acres, and Denis Nettles, Macroom, with three.
The surname Nettles did not flourish in Ireland. Our usual sources do not list it, nor is it to be found in the Penguin Dictionary. The name was among the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland 1642-46, and John Nettles was listed in the 1659 "census" as titulado of Tooreen, Co Waterford. Patrick C. Power in his History of Waterford City and County says in the mid-18th century the countryside around Cappoquin was a fruit-growing area. "In Tourin (Tooreen, Tuairin, grassy plot, bleaching green) the Nettles family had large orchards on the land for cider-making".