Meaning and origin
The last name Norris has its origin in England and Scotland, derived from the Old French personal name Noris or Norreis, which was in turn derived from the Old Norse given name Norríðr. Meaning "north traveler" or "spear warrior," the name indicated someone who hailed from the north or had a strong connection to the north. Over time, Norris spread as a surname and became associated with various noble families, particularly in the English counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Devon.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#346
Norris was the 346th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 89,796 people, about 30 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Norris
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Norris is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.