Explore the Family Name Norris
The meaning of Norris
English: 1. habitational name from Middle English norreis, noreis, norais ‘northerner’ (Anglo-Norman French noreis), used both of Norwegians and of inhabitants of northern England and Scotland. 2. from the Middle English personal name Norreis, derived from norreis ‘northerner’. 3. variant of Nurse, an occupational name for a wet-nurse or foster mother, from Middle English norice, nurice ‘nurse; foster parent’ (Old French norrice, nurrice).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Norris in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Norris witnessed certain changes in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 326th and by 2010, it had dropped slightly to the 346th spot, showcasing a decrease of 6.13%. However, the overall count of individuals with the Norris surname grew by 5.38% during this decade, from 85,212 to 89,796. This indicates that despite the drop in rank, the absolute number of people named Norris increased. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 31.59 to 30.44, marking a decline of 3.64%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #326 | #346 | -6.13% |
| Count | 85,212 | 89,796 | 5.38% |
| Proportion per 100k | 31.59 | 30.44 | -3.64% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Norris
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data revealed some shifts among those with the Norris surname between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals identified as White (at 82.01% in 2000 and 79.88% in 2010), there were notable increases in other ethnic identities over this period. Notably, the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose by 40.54%, and those reporting two or more races increased by 33.33%. Meanwhile, Hispanic representation also surged by 62.96%, although the total percentage remained relatively low at 2.20% in 2010. Those identifying as Black saw a modest increase of 4.34%, while American Indian and Alaskan Native identification remained almost unchanged with a slight rise of 1.08%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.01% | 79.88% | -2.6% |
| Black | 13.81% | 14.41% | 4.34% |
| Hispanic | 1.35% | 2.2% | 62.96% |
| Two or More Races | 1.53% | 2.04% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.93% | 0.94% | 1.08% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.52% | 40.54% |
Norris ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Norris is British & Irish, which comprises 55.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.1%) and Scandinavian (3.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.7% |
| French & German | 23.1% |
| Scandinavian | 3.2% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Norris
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Norris have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
What Norris haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Norris is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Miller, Green, Baker, Brown, Martin, Hill, Taylor, Smith, Thompson, Harrison.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Norris surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Norris have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Norris" Surname 39.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Norris" Surname 26.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Norris" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Norris" Surname 17.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Norris?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Norris are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition