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

Norat, 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 Norat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Norat in America

Norat is the 61899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Norat surname appeared 324 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 Norat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Norat 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 Norat

The surname NORAT originated in France during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "noret," which referred to someone with a darker complexion or tanned skin. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname in the northern regions of France, particularly in areas with strong Norman influence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NORAT surname can be found in the 13th-century cartulary of the Abbey of Jumièges in Normandy, where a certain "Willelmus Noret" is mentioned in a land transaction. This suggests that the name had already become established as a hereditary surname by this time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records from the region of Picardy, such as the "Rôles de la Taille de Picardie" from 1340, which lists a "Jehan Norat" among the taxpayers. This indicates the name had spread beyond its Norman origins and was present in other parts of northern France.

During the 15th century, the NORAT surname is found in the records of the city of Paris. Notably, a "Pierre Norat" is mentioned in the tax rolls of 1469 as a resident of the Saint-Séverin parish. This suggests that by this time, the name had become established in the capital city as well.

One of the earliest known bearers of the NORAT surname was Jean Norat, a prominent merchant and landowner from the town of Beauvais in Picardy, who lived between 1425 and 1498. He was a respected figure in the local community and left a significant estate upon his death.

Another notable individual with the NORAT surname was Jacques Norat, a skilled architect who lived from 1550 to 1625. He is credited with the design of several churches and public buildings in the city of Rouen, including the Church of Saint-Maclou, which is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

In the 17th century, the NORAT family produced a distinguished military figure in the form of Charles-Louis Norat, born in 1635 in Normandy. He rose through the ranks of the French army and served with distinction in the War of the Spanish Succession, ultimately attaining the rank of Lieutenant General before his death in 1705.

The 18th century saw the birth of Pierre-François Norat, a prominent lawyer and legal scholar from Paris. Born in 1720, he authored several influential treatises on French law and served as a judge in the Parlement of Paris until his death in 1789.

Lastly, one cannot discuss the NORAT surname without mentioning Émile Norat, a 19th-century French poet and playwright. Born in 1821 in the town of Dijon, he gained recognition for his lyrical works and several successful plays performed in Paris theatres. He lived until 1892 and was a respected figure in the literary circles of his time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Norat

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

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 Norat 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 Norat 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 Norat was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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