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

Nors, 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 Nors surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nors in America

Nors is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nors surname appeared 174 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 Nors.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nors 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 Nors

The surname Nors has its origins in Scandinavia, specifically in the regions of Norway and Sweden. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

One theory suggests that the name Nors is derived from the Old Norse word "norðr," which means "north." This could indicate that the name originally referred to someone who lived in the northern regions of Scandinavia or who had migrated from the north. Another possibility is that the name is related to the Old Norse word "nor," meaning "narrow" or "strait," potentially referring to a geographical feature near where the name originated.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nors can be found in historical documents from Norway and Sweden. For example, in the 14th century, there are mentions of individuals named Nors in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomatic documents.

One notable bearer of the surname Nors was Erik Nors (c. 1490-1560), a Norwegian clergyman who served as the Bishop of Hamar from 1536 until his death. Another prominent figure was Johan Nors (1588-1642), a Swedish nobleman and military commander who played a role in the Kalmar War between Sweden and Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, there was a Norwegian merchant and shipowner named Hans Nors (1713-1791), who was influential in the city of Bergen's maritime trade. Additionally, the Swedish composer and organist Johan Nors (1712-1767) is remembered for his contributions to the music scene in Stockholm during the mid-18th century.

Moving into the 19th century, one noteworthy individual was the Norwegian writer and poet Henrik Nors (1835-1896), who was known for his romantic and patriotic works that celebrated Norwegian culture and landscapes.

While the surname Nors has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the early historical records and notable figures associated with this name primarily trace back to its origins in Norway and Sweden during the medieval and early modern periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nors

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

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

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

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