Norman is both a surname and a given name. The surname has multiple origins including English, Irish (in Ulster), Scottish, German, French, Norwegian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Jewish American. The given name Norman is mostly of English origin, though in some cases it can be an Anglicised form of a Scottish Gaelic personal name.
Etymology Surname There are several different origins of the surname Norman.Norman Name Meaning and History Retrieved on 2008-03-26
As a surname of English, Irish (in Ulster), Scottish and Dutch origin the name was used to denote someone of Scandinavian ancestry or someone from Normandy (northern France). During the Middle Ages Scandinavian Vikings called themselves norðmenn ("men from the North"), which remains the Norwegian term for "Norwegian". By 1066 Scandinavian settlers in England had been absorbed and Northman and Norman were used as bynames and later as personal names by both English and English of Scandinavian descent. After the Norman Invasion of England in 1066, the name Norman took on a new meaning as England was invaded by Normans from Normandy (in northern France). The Normans were themselves descendants of Scandinavians who had established a state in Normandy; thus the term has the same meaning whether it refers to descendants of first wave Scandinavian settlers of the British isles or Normans from Normandy. As a surname of French origin the name is a regional name denoting someone from Normandy. As a surname of Dutch origin the surname is an ethnic name for someone of Norwegian descent. As a surname of Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin the surname is a variant of Nordman. As a surname of Jewish (American) origin the surname is an Americanization of a similar-sounding Ashkenazic name. In at least one case Norman is used as an Americanization of Novominsky, which is a name of a family originating in Uman, Ukraine. This family on coming to the United States of America changed their name to Norman, and relatives in Russia likewise changed their names from Novominsky to Norman. As a surname of Swedish origin the name is derived the two elements: norr (north) + man ("man").
Given name Norman as a given name is of mostly English origin. It is a Germanic name and is composed of the elements nord ("north") + man ("man"). The name can be found in England before the Norman Invasion of 1066, but gained popularity by its use by Norman settlers in England after the invasion. In Norway, the demonym of its people in Norwegian are Nordmann (pronounce Normann), and has the exactly same meaning as the name origin of the Normans. In the Scottish Highlands, Norman is sometimes used as an Anglicised form of the Norwegian and Scottish Gaelic Tormod (derived from the Norse Þórmóðr). A pet form of the Scottish given name is Norrie. There are several Scottish feminine forms of the given name Norman. These include: Normanna, Normina, Norma, Nora, and Mona.
In England, the use of Norman as a given name is dying out. For example, in 2005 only two newborn boys were given the name; one in Shropshire and another in Tyne and Wear.
Distribution England, Wales and the Isle of Man Norman is ranked as the 273rd most common surname in the 1999–2001 National Health Service Central Register of England, Wales and the Isle of Man (the register utilises birth and death registers from 1999 to 2001).Most Common Surnames in England, Wales and the Isle of Man Retrieved on 2008-03-29
Ireland The surname Norman is of English origin, having arrived in the province of Ulster in the 17th century during the plantation era (See Plantation of Ulster and Plantations of Ireland). The surname is most common in Dublin, Belfast and Cork.Norman Retrieved on 2008-03-29 Below is a table of Norman households recorded in the Primary Valuation (Griffith's valuation) property survey of 1848–64.
+ # of Norman households per county, 1848–64 County # County #Armagh 1 Cork (county) 10Cork (city) 1 Donegal 7Dublin 7 Dublin (city) 9Kerry 2 Kildare 6Laois 2 Limerick 5Limerick (city) 2 Louth 3Roscommon 1 Sligo 1Tipperary 2 Westmeath 3
United States Surname: In the 1990 Census Norman is ranked as the 396th most frequent surname.dist.all.last Retrieved on 2008-03-28 ("NORMAN 0.028 32.535 396") By the 2000 Census the surname was ranked at 461st most frequent surname.Frequently Occurring Surnames From Census 2000 Retrieved on 2008-03-28Top 1000 Names Retrieved on 2008-03-28 The table below shows the statistics for the surname Norman in the 2000 Census See footnote for description of the header.name = Last name; rank = Rank; count = Number of occurrences; prop100k = Proportion per 100,000 people for name; cum_prop100k = Cumulative proportion per 100,000 people; pctwhite = Percent Non-Hispanic White Only; pctblack = Percent Non-Hispanic Black Only; pctapi = Percent Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only; pctaian = Percent Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native Only; pct2prace = Percent Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races; pcthispanic = Percent Hispanic Origin (source of heading information: Demographic Aspects of Surnames from Census 2000 Retrieved on 2008-03-28; source of table data Top 1000 Names Retrieved on 2008-03-28). {| class="wikitable" |- ! name ! rank ! count ! prop100k ! cum_prop100k ! pctwhite ! pctblack ! pctapi ! pctaian ! pct2prace ! pcthispanic |- | NORMAN | 461 | 65269 | 24.2 | 31690.75 | 71.58 | 24.13 | 0.42 | 0.61 | 1.71 | 1.54
Given name: Norman is ranked as the 113th most frequent male given name in the 1990 Census.Frequently Occurring First Names and Surnames From the 1990 Census Retrieved on 2008-03-28dist.male.first Retrieved on 2008-03-28 ("NORMAN 0.177 61.938 113")
People Surname
Abby Norman (beauty pageant titleholder), Miss Wyoming USA Abby Norman (writer), American science writer Al Norman, the founder of Sprawl-Busters, a noted anti-sprawl activism organization Albert Norman (1882–1964), British co-founder of the Institute of Biomedical Science Alfred Merle Norman (1831–1918), British clergyman, naturalist and marine zoologist Andrew Norman (born 1980), English professional snooker player Andrew Norman (born 1979), American composer of contemporary classical music Andrew Norman (rugby league) (born 1972), Papua New Guinean rugby league player Aneurin Norman (born 1991), Welsh cricketer Anna-Kajsa Norman (1820–1903), known as Spel-Stina, Swedish folk musician, spelman and a composer Anthony W. Norman (1938–2019), professor of biochemistry and biomedical sciences Archie Norman (born 1954), British businessman and politician Sir Arthur Norman (1917–2011), British industrialist Arthur Charles Alfred Norman (1858–1944), British architect Arthur Norman (computer scientist), British computer scientist Arthur St. Norman (1878–1956), South African long-distance runner Barak Norman (c. 1670 – c. 1740), English string instrument maker Barry Norman (1933–2017), British film critic Bebo Norman (born 1973), contemporary Christian musician Birger Norman (1914–1995), Swedish journalist, poet, novelist, playwright and non-fiction writer Bob Norman (born 1969), South Florida journalist Charles Norman CBE (1891–1974), General Officer Commanding Aldershot District Charles Norman (cricketer) (1833–1889), English banker and cricketer Charlie Norman (1920–2005), Swedish musician and entertainer Chris Norman (born 1950), British musician Chris Norman (American football) (born 1962), former punter in National Football League Chris Norman (flautist) (born in Halifax, Nova Scotia) (born 1963), flautist Connie Norman (1949–1996), American AIDS and trans rights activist Conolly Norman (1853–1908), Irish alienist or psychiatrist Corey Norman (born 1991), Australian aboriginal rugby league player Craig Norman, native of Greenfield Park, Quebec Dan Norman (born 1952), former right fielder in Major League Baseball Daniel Norman (born 1964), Canadian slalom canoer David Norman (disambiguation) Decima Norman, MBE (1909–1983), Australian athlete Denis Norman (1931–2019), English-born Zimbabwean former politician Dennis Norman (born 1980), American football guard Desmond Norman (1929–2002), British aircraft designer Diana Norman (1933–2011), British author and journalist Dianne Norman (born 1971), Canadian former basketball player Dinah Margaret Norman (born 1946), British chess master Dick Norman (born 1971), Belgian tennis player Dick Norman (American football) (born 1938), former American football quarterback Donald Norman (born 1935), professor and usability consultant Dorothy Norman (1905–1997), American photographer, writer, editor, arts patron, advocate for social change E. Herbert Norman (1909–1957), Canadian diplomat and historian Edward Norman (born 1938), Canon Chancellor of York Minster, ecclesiastical historian Edward Norman (bishop), KBE, DSO, MC (1916–1987), New Zealand Anglican bishop Eldred Norman (1914–1971), Australian inventor and racing-car driver Emile Norman (1918–2009), iconoclastic California artist Ernest Norman (1904–1971), American electrical engineer, co-founder of the Unarius Academy of Science Ernie Norman (1913–1993), Australian rugby league player Florence Norman, CBE (1881–1964), English socialite and activist Floyd Norman (born 1935), American animator on Walt Disney films in the late '50s and early '60s Frank Norman (1930–1980), British novelist and playwright Fred Norman (born 1942), American baseball player Fred B. Norman (1882–1947), U.S. Representative from Washington Frederick Norman (1839–1916), English merchant banker, director of merchant bank Brown, Shipley & Co Georg Norman (died 1552 or 1553), civil servant of German origin, in Swedish service from 1539 George Norman (disambiguation) Gilbert Norman (1915–1944) in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine Greg Norman (born 1955), Australian professional golfer Gurney Norman (1937–2025), American writer, documentarian, and professor H. Wayne Norman Jr. (1955–2018), American lawyer and politician Hayley Marie Norman (born 1989), American actress and model Henry Wylie Norman GCB, GCMG, CIE (1826–1904), Field Marshal, colonial Governor of Jamaica and Queensland Howard Norman (born 1949), American writer Ian Norman, Professor of Nursing and Inter-Disciplinary Care at King's College London Jace Norman (born 2000), American actor James Norman (disambiguation) Jane Norman, United Kingdom-based women's clothing retailer Jared Norman (born 1974), former English cricketer Jennie Van Norman (1870–1946), birth name of stage actress Jane Peyton Jerry Norman (sinologist) (1936–2012), American sinologist and linguist Jerry Norman (basketball) (born 1929/1930), American basketball coach Jesse Norman (born 1962), British Conservative politician Jessye Norman (1945–2019), American opera singer and recitalist Jim Norman (disambiguation) Jimmy Norman (1937–2011), American rhythm and blues and jazz musician and a songwriter Joe Norman (born 1956), former professional American football linebacker John Norman (disambiguation) Josh Norman (cornerback) (born 1987), American football cornerback K. R. Norman (1925–2020), leading scholar of Middle Indo-Aryan or Prakrit, particularly of Pali Karl Norman (born 1983), Australian rules football player Keith Norman, general secretary of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) Kelvin Norman (1955–2005), deceased American soccer defender Ken Norman (born 1964), American former professional basketball player Kent Norman, American cognitive psychologist, expert on Computer Rage Larry Norman (1947–2008), Christian rock music pioneer Larry Norman (canoeist) (born 1966), canoer Lavinia Norman (1882–1983), one of the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority Leonard Norman (1947–2021), Jersey politician and Connétable of Saint Clement Leslie Norman (disambiguation) Lindsay D. Norman (born 1938), American mining engineer and educator