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

Norway, 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 Norway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Norway in America

Norway is the 66754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Norway surname appeared 296 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 Norway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Norway 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 Norway

The surname Norway originated in the Scandinavian country of Norway. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 12th century, during the Viking era. It is believed to have been derived from the Old Norse words "nor" meaning "north" and "vegr" meaning "way" or "path," referring to the northern geographical location of the country.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Norway can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents from the 12th to the 16th centuries. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Norveig," "Norweg," and "Norvegh," reflecting the linguistic evolution over time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Norway was relatively uncommon and primarily associated with individuals who hailed from or had ties to the kingdom of Norway. It is possible that some early bearers of the name were travelers or merchants who ventured to other parts of Europe, carrying their distinctive surname with them.

In the late 13th century, a notable figure named Thorvald Norway was mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga, an ancient literary work chronicling the history of the Orkney Islands. Thorvald was a powerful chieftain who played a significant role in the political affairs of the region during that era.

Another prominent individual with the surname Norway was Ingrid Norway, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist born in Bergen, Norway, in the late 15th century. She was renowned for her generous support of local churches and charitable organizations, leaving a lasting impact on her community.

In the 16th century, a renowned explorer named Leif Norway gained recognition for his daring voyages to the uncharted territories of Greenland and the Arctic regions. His expeditions contributed to the expansion of geographical knowledge and trade routes during that period.

During the 17th century, the surname Norway gained some prominence in England, possibly due to Norwegian immigrants or individuals with Norwegian ancestry settling in the country. One notable figure was William Norway, a successful merchant and ship owner based in London, who lived from 1620 to 1687.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Norway continued to be carried by individuals of Norwegian descent, both in Norway itself and in other parts of the world where Norwegian communities established themselves. While not among the most common surnames, it has maintained a consistent presence throughout history, reflecting the enduring ties to its Scandinavian origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Norway

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

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

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

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