Explore the Family Name Norwood
The meaning of Norwood
English: habitational name from one or more of the many places called Northwood or Norwood, such as Northwood in Essex, Middlesex, Isle of Wight, Norwood in Middlesex and Surrey, or Northwood Farm in Okehampton and Northwood Farm in Morchard Bishop, both in Devon. The placenames mean ‘north or northern wood’, from Old English north ‘north, northern’ + wudu ‘wood’ or Middle English north + wode. Compare Norrod.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Norwood in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Norwood has seen a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1520th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 1596th spot - a decrease of 5%. Despite the drop in rank, the actual count of people with the surname Norwood increased from 21,678 in 2000 to 22,461 in 2010. This represents a growth rate of 3.61%, although the proportion per 100k people decreased by 5.35% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,520 | #1,596 | -5% |
| Count | 21,678 | 22,461 | 3.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.04 | 7.61 | -5.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Norwood
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Norwood has also evolved over the decade, according to the same Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority of individuals identified as White (55.45%), followed by Black (40.09%). However, by 2010, the percentage of those identifying as White decreased to 52.53%, while those identifying as Black increased to 41.38%. During this time, there were notable increases in the percentages of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.30% to 0.41%), Hispanic (from 1.61% to 2.33%), and those claiming two or more races (from 1.89% to 2.70%). The American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a small decrease, moving from 0.66% in 2000 to 0.65% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.45% | 52.53% | -5.27% |
| Black | 40.09% | 41.38% | 3.22% |
| Two or More Races | 1.89% | 2.7% | 42.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.61% | 2.33% | 44.72% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.65% | -1.52% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.41% | 36.67% |
Norwood 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 Norwood is British & Irish, which comprises 50.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.4%) and Nigerian (6.9%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.9% |
| French & German | 18.4% |
| Nigerian | 6.9% |
| Other | 23.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Norwood
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 Norwood have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 75.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 75.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 75.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 74.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 74.90% |
What Norwood 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 Norwood 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 I-P109 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bellamy, Jewell, Dwyer, Meade, Rice, Whittaker, Greenwood, Gaskins, Gaines, Powell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Norwood 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 Norwood 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.
"Norwood" Surname 36.7%
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.
"Norwood" Surname 26.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Norwood" Surname 19.6%
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.
"Norwood" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Norwood?
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 Norwood are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition