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

Norbu, 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 Norbu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Norbu in America

Norbu is the 125282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Norbu surname appeared 137 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 Norbu.

The history of the last name Norbu

The surname "NORBU" is of Tibetan origin and dates back to the 7th century. It originated in the region of Ngari, located in the western part of Tibet, near the borders of India and Nepal. The name is derived from the Tibetan words "nor," meaning "jewel," and "bu," meaning "son" or "descendant."

In ancient Tibetan manuscripts, the name is often spelled as "Nor-bu" or "Norbu," indicating its long-standing presence in the region. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the 8th-century text "The Life of the Great Translator," which details the life of the renowned Tibetan scholar and translator, Vairochana Norbu.

The Norbu family has a rich history in Tibet, with several notable figures emerging over the centuries. One of the most prominent was Terton Pema Lingpa Norbu (1450-1521), a renowned Tibetan Buddhist master and treasure revealer who discovered and propagated important Buddhist teachings and practices.

Another influential figure was Jamgon Ju Mipham Gyatso Norbu (1846-1912), a prominent Tibetan Buddhist scholar, writer, and philosopher, who made significant contributions to the understanding and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and literature.

The name Norbu has also been associated with several important political figures in Tibet. For instance, Ngawang Norbu (1756-1792) was a prominent Tibetan statesman and diplomat who served as the regent of Tibet during the late 18th century.

In more recent times, the name Norbu has gained recognition through individuals like Tenzing Norgay Norbu (1914-1986), the Nepali-Tibetan Sherpa mountaineer who, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, became the first to summit Mount Everest in 1953.

Another noteworthy figure is Jamyang Norbu (born 1949), a Tibetan writer, activist, and scholar, who has written extensively on Tibetan history, culture, and the Tibetan independence movement.

Throughout history, the surname Norbu has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including religious leaders, scholars, statesmen, and adventurers, all of whom have contributed significantly to the rich cultural heritage of Tibet and the Himalayan region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Norbu

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

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 Norbu 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.

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

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

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