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

Northrop, 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 Northrop surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Northrop in America

Northrop is the 8305th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Northrop surname appeared 3,990 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Northrop.

We can also compare 2010 data for Northrop 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 Northrop

The surname Northrop is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is considered a locational surname, derived from a place name. One theory suggests that it is derived from the Old English words "nor" (meaning "north") and "throp" (meaning "village" or "hamlet"), indicating that the name may have originated from a northern village or settlement.

Another possible origin is that the name is derived from the place name "Northrop" or "Northrope," which was a location in Norfolk, England. These place names are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Northrop can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1195, where a person named Roger de Northrop is mentioned. This suggests that the name was in use by the late 12th century.

Historically, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Northrop, Northropp, Northrupp, and Northruppe. Some variations in spelling were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during earlier times.

Notable individuals with the surname Northrop throughout history include:

1. Sir John Northrop (1590-1676), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Munster in the Protectorate Parliament of 1654.

2. Anson Northrop (1797-1858), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from South Carolina.

3. John Northrop (1809-1890), an American inventor and manufacturer who founded the Northrop Loom Company, which produced innovative textile machinery.

4. John Knudsen Northrop (1895-1981), an American aerospace engineer and entrepreneur who founded the Northrop Corporation, a major aerospace company known for its pioneering aircraft designs.

5. Anne Northrop (1924-2016), an American philanthropist and arts patron who supported various cultural institutions and organizations in New York City.

The surname Northrop continues to be found in various English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reflecting the historical migration patterns of individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Northrop

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

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

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

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