Find out how popular the last name Narrow is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Narrow.

Narrow, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Narrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Narrow in America

Narrow is the 97671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Narrow surname appeared 186 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Narrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Narrow to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Narrow

The surname Narrow is of English origin, with roots dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "nearu," which meant "narrow" or "constricted." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a narrow place or near a narrow passage or street.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Narrow can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mention a William Narrow. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "le Narwe" and "Narwe," reflecting the evolving spelling and pronunciation of the name over time. These variations were often used to distinguish individuals from specific locations, such as "Narrow of Cheshire" or "Narrow of Yorkshire."

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain references to individuals with the surname Narrow, including Robert le Narwe and Henry le Narwe, both from Oxfordshire. This provides evidence of the name's geographical distribution across different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Narrow include John Narrow (c. 1550-1615), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Narrow (1643-1703), an English nonconformist minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on Christian Prudence" and "The Lively Oracles Given to Us."

In the 18th century, Samuel Narrow (1720-1792) was a successful merchant and philanthropist in London, known for his charitable contributions to various causes, including the establishment of schools and hospitals.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Narrow (1805-1887), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas, including churches, schools, and public buildings.

One of the more recent individuals with the surname Narrow was Robert Narrow (1903-1986), a British artist and sculptor known for his modernist works in various media, including bronze, stone, and wood.

While the surname Narrow may not be among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with bearers scattered across various regions of England and contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Narrow

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Narrow.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Narrow was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Narrow has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Narrow was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Narrow, please contact us.

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