2000
#7,817
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,924
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.45
Rare Last name
Norfleet
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of an unidentified item, possibly a type of arrow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,492 Americans carry the last name Norfleet. That puts it at #8,104 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,303 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Norfleet surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 76,303
Census rank
#8,104
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,917 bearers of the surname Norfleet in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8104th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Norfleet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 55.0%. The next largest groups are White (37.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Norfleet
The surname "NORFLEET" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to derive from the Old English words "nor" and "flet," which together mean "northern dwelling" or "northern habitation." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a northern region or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry "Norfleit" is listed among the inhabitants of Norfolk, indicating the name's strong ties to this eastern English county.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Northflete," "Northfleet," and "Norflite," reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings during this period. These variations often incorporated place names or locations associated with the family's origins.
One notable figure bearing the Norfleet name was John Norfleet, a prominent English merchant who lived in the 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in international trade and held significant influence in the city of Bristol.
Another individual of historical significance was Sir Richard Norfleet, a military commander who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He distinguished himself in several battles against the French and was knighted for his valor and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 17th century, the Norfleet family established a presence in the American colonies. Robert Norfleet, born in 1635, was among the early settlers in Virginia and played a role in the development of the colony's agricultural and trade industries.
During the 18th century, the Norfleet name gained prominence in the American South. Benjamin Norfleet, born in 1725, was a prominent plantation owner and influential figure in North Carolina politics, serving as a representative in the colonial assembly.
Another notable figure was John Norfleet, a soldier and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1745, he achieved the rank of captain and played a pivotal role in several key battles against the British forces.
Throughout its history, the surname "NORFLEET" has maintained a strong association with its English roots, reflecting the migration patterns and achievements of those who carried this name across generations and continents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Norfleet
Among Census respondents with the surname Norfleet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 55.0%. The next largest groups are White (37.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Norfleet bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Norfleet surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American55.0% · 2,156
- White37.2% · 1,456
- Two or more races4.3% · 169
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 85
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 40
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Norfleet
Norfleet appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,988
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,139
+215 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.40
Rank movement Down 171 places
2020
#8,104
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,917
-222 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Down 116 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,817 | 3,924 | 1.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,988 | 4,139 | 1.40 | +215 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 171 places |
| 2020 | #8,104 | 3,917 | 1.31 | -222 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 116 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Norfleet surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,988 | #8,104 | -1.5% |
| Count | 4,139 | 3,917 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.40 | 1.31 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Norfleet bearers went from 4,139 to 3,917 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 116 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,988 to #8,104.
FAQ
Norfleet surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Norfleet?
Name Census estimates that about 4,492 living Americans carry the surname Norfleet. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,303 residents.
How common is Norfleet?
Norfleet ranks #8,104 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,917 people with the surname Norfleet. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,492), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Norfleet.
Has Norfleet become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Norfleet went from 4,139 recorded bearers to 3,917. That is a decrease of 222 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,988 to #8,104.
What does the Census say about the background of Norfleet?
Among Census respondents with the surname Norfleet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 55.0%. The next largest groups are White (37.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Norfleet in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.0% (2,156 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Norfleet appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (55.0%), White (37.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Norfleet (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Norfleet mean?
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of an unidentified item, possibly a type of arrow. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Norfleet (1.31 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Norfleet?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Norfleet at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.