April's 1.9% increase was the biggest percentage advance since December 2007, when orders rose 4.1%, the Commerce Department said.
However, March orders were revised sharply lower, falling 2.1% from the previously reported 0.8% decline.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected overall new orders to rise 0.4% in April, and orders excluding transportation to ease 0.3%.
New orders excluding transportation climbed 0.8% in April after declining 2.7% in March, boosted by orders for communications equipment, machinery and fabricated metal products.
However, there were some dark spots in the report. Civilian aircraft and parts tumbled 6.8% after surging 7.5% in March.
Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending, fell 1.5% in April. The prior month was revised to show a 1.4% decline, previously reported as a 0.4% gain.
