Part of the Ormeau Road was previously called New Ballynafoy Road. Ormeau Road takes its name from Ormeau House which was built for the second Marquis of Donegall, George Augustus Chichester. According to https://www.belfastentries.com/ the name Ormeau comes from the French words “orme” for elm tree -and “eau” for water suggesting the ground before it had been built on had elm trees close to water. The first notice of the name occurs on Williamson's Hap of Belfast, 1791, whereon is marked "Ormeau, Mr. Kingsmill". This Mr. Kingsmill in addition to being a storekeeper and surveyor of the Fort, was also agent to the Marquis of Donegall for his Irish estates. The Kingsmill family retained Ormeau Cottage, for such the residence was named, till the end of 1803, when it came into the hands of the Marquis of Donegall, who, after making alterations and extensions to accommodate his extensive menage, removed there about 1807. In the eighteenth century, before the present road was made, it was known as the "Long Pass", "to distinguish, it from the other "passes". It stopped short somewhere near Essex Street". (Belfast Street Names. John J. Marshall). Henderson’s New Belfast And Northern Repository for 1843-1844 contains several references to people living on the Ormeau Road.