2000
#8,660
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,496
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.30
Rare Last name
Northern
A locational surname referring to someone who lived in or came from the north.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,027 Americans carry the last name Northern. That puts it at #8,941 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 85,114 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Northern 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Northern with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.0K
1 in 85,114
Census rank
#8,941
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,512 bearers of the surname Northern in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8941st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Northern, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.5%. The next largest groups are Black (38.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Northern
The surname Northern is an English locational surname that originated in the northern regions of England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "norþern," meaning "of the north" or "northern." This name was likely given to individuals who migrated from the northern parts of the country or to those who settled in the northern regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Northern surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1177. This document mentions a Richard del Northern, indicating the surname's usage during the 12th century. The prefix "del" in this spelling suggests a connection to a specific northern location or village.
In the 13th century, the Northern surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of Northumberland, where a William le Northern was mentioned in 1228. The use of the prefix "le" in this spelling further reinforces the surname's locational origins.
The Northern surname can also be linked to several place names in England, such as Northern Wray in Lancashire and Northern Yeldhall in Yorkshire. These place names may have contributed to the development and use of the surname in their respective regions.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Northern surname. One notable figure was John Northern (c. 1570-1623), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Clare College, Cambridge, from 1619 until his death.
Another prominent individual was Roger Northern (1651-1733), an English lawyer and antiquarian who wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of Yorkshire. His work, "The Natural History of Yorkshire," published in 1703, is considered a significant contribution to the study of Yorkshire's natural history and archaeology.
In the field of literature, Frederick Northern (1837-1891) was a British poet and playwright. He gained recognition for his poetic works, such as "The Minstrel's Curse" and "The Parting Hour," which were published in the 19th century.
Additionally, the Northern surname can be found in the military records of various conflicts, including the American Revolutionary War. One such individual was Captain John Northern (1723-1806), a British Army officer who served in the French and Indian War and later fought against the American colonists during the Revolutionary War.
Finally, in the realm of sports, John Northern (1890-1962) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Sunderland and Middlesbrough, in the early 20th century.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and contributions of individuals who have carried the Northern surname throughout history, reflecting the surname's longstanding presence and significance in various spheres of society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Northern
Among Census respondents with the surname Northern, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.5%. The next largest groups are Black (38.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Northern 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 Northern surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White52.5% · 1,843
- Black or African American38.6% · 1,354
- Two or more races5.2% · 184
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 95
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Northern
Northern 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
#8,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,643
+147 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Down 321 places
2020
#8,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,512
-131 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Up 40 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,660 | 3,496 | 1.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,981 | 3,643 | 1.24 | +147 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 321 places |
| 2020 | #8,941 | 3,512 | 1.17 | -131 bearers (-3.6%) | Up 40 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 Northern 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 | #8,981 | #8,941 | 0.4% |
| Count | 3,643 | 3,512 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.24 | 1.17 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Northern bearers went from 3,643 to 3,512 (-3.6% change). The surname moved up 40 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,981 to #8,941.
FAQ
Northern surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Northern?
Name Census estimates that about 4,027 living Americans carry the surname Northern. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 85,114 residents.
How common is Northern?
Northern ranks #8,941 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.17 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 3,512 people with the surname Northern. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,027), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.17 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 Northern.
Has Northern become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Northern went from 3,643 recorded bearers to 3,512. That is a decrease of 131 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,981 to #8,941.
What does the Census say about the background of Northern?
Among Census respondents with the surname Northern, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.5%. The next largest groups are Black (38.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Northern in the 2020 Census, accounting for 52.5% (1,843 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Northern appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (52.5%), Black (38.6%), Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Northern (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 Northern mean?
A locational surname referring to someone who lived in or came from the north. 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 Northern (1.17 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 many people have the surname Northern?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.