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

North, 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 North surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of North in America

North is the 1766th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The North surname appeared 20,343 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname North.

We can also compare 2010 data for North 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 North

The surname North originates from England and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "norþ," meaning "the northern direction." The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in the northern part of a town or village, or who had migrated from the north.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname North can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Norþ" and "Nort."

During the 13th century, the surname North became more widespread throughout England, particularly in the northern regions. Some notable individuals with this surname from that period include Roger North (c. 1235-1310), a English landowner and knight, and John North (c. 1280-1349), a member of the English Parliament.

In the 16th century, the surname North was associated with several prominent figures, such as Sir Edward North (1496-1564), a English courtier and diplomat during the reign of Henry VIII, and Roger North (1531-1600), a English translator and author.

As the surname spread across England, it also became associated with various place names. For example, the village of North Petherton in Somerset was once known as "Norþ Peretone" in the Domesday Book, and the town of North Shields in Tyne and Wear was originally called "Norþscieles."

One of the most famous individuals with the surname North was Frederick North, Lord North (1732-1792), who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. Other notable figures include Roger North (1653-1734), an English biographer and writer, and Dudley North (1637-1691), an English economist and merchant.

Over the centuries, the surname North has been found throughout England, particularly in the northern counties, but also in other regions due to migration and population movements. While the name has evolved in spelling, it has maintained its connection to the northern direction and geographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name North

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

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

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

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