The Norton surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 63,722 people carried this name — #531 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 4,630 people counted. That is up 3% from 61,805 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Norton surname
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 11 births for the Norton name in 1890.
Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
63 people named Norton live in Switzerland.
They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 50 people named Norton live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Mendoza.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 42 people named Norton.
Most of them — 27 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Marne.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In the Nordic population registers
24 people named Norton is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Norton was found among the farmers of 4 counties.
It was most frequent in Dorset: 26 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 385. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.
Where it concentrates, on the mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.
In Scotland’s registers today
Norton was recorded 11 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 1788th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 15. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
359 families named Norton, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 2,081 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.
Families, by state
U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 255 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Norton in American newspapers,
1898–1906.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 28,836 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Norton in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.
153,800 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Norton. The most, 29,382, date from the 1900s.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Norton.
Who carried it
People named Norton,
with a public archive behind them.
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Thomas Norton 1433–1513 · writer -
Andrews Norton 1786–1853 · librarian -
Caroline Norton 1808–1877 · writer -
Maria Louisa Campbell 1810–1888 -
Emperor Norton 1811–1880 · businessperson
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 218 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Norton,
in the records of 8 countries.
Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.
United States8,028 records
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,386
- New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,213
- Other U.S. records 3,429
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Thomas Francis NortonBorn 1947; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Robert R. NortonBorn 1912 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; machine shop worker from Queens County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1978, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Elizabeth NortonArrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; servant. From London, England; bound for Pennsylvania.
U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
Showing 3 of 8,028 records for Norton in the United States.
Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
Australia2,351 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,142
- Tasmanian Names Index 488
- Other Australian records 721
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Louisa NortonTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Royal Admiral, sailing from London in 1842. Native of Norwich, Norfolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844. Married 1844 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 29.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record John NortonTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Asia, sailing from Portsmouth in 1827. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1837. Married 1838 in Launceston, Tasmania.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Bridget NortonTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Tory, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Athlone, Westmeath. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Richmond, Tasmania, aged 33.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 2,351 records for Norton in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).
Canada243 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 132
- City of Calgary cemetery records 25
- Other Canadian records 86
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Example: civil register, 1880 Civil record Sarah L. NortonKilled in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 72.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Thos NortonCame to Ontario in 1880 aboard the City of Rich'd., landing at New York, bound for Windsor, Ontario; Irish.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Blanche Augusta NortonBuried in 1951 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 82.
Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
Showing 3 of 243 records for Norton in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom108 records
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 82
- St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 14
- Other British records 12
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Daniel NortonDied 1951, aged 75; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Elizabeth NortonBuried in 1833 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 33.
MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: probate petition, 1848 Probate record John NortonWill proved in 1941; of Abergele, Denbigh.
National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
Showing 3 of 108 records for Norton in the United Kingdom.
Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).
New Zealand77 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 56
- Marlborough District cemetery records 12
- Other New Zealand records 9
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Thomas Woodbine NortonDied 1952, aged 70; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Edith Joyce NortonDied 1973, aged 58; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Thomas NortonBuried in 1899 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 66.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 77 records for Norton in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Netherlands18 records
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 11
- Dutch population registers 6
- Dutch church registers before 1811 1
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Example: marriage register, 1911 Marriage record Raymond George NortonMarried in 1945 in Nijmegen; painter.
Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: civil register, 1880 Death record William James NortonDied 1928 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 63; "taalleeraar".
Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 18 records for Norton in the Netherlands.
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).
France13 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Claude Charles NortonBorn 1938 in Villers-Marmery; died 1995 in Reims (Marne).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Francoise Lucie NortonBorn 1893 in Capoulet-et-Junac (Ariège); died 1971 in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 2 of 13 records for Norton in France.
Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).
Ireland1 record
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record John J. NortonDied 1972, aged 83; buried at Ballygar, Co. Galway.
Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Norton.
- Normandin 1,956 · U.S. census
- Norris 89,796 · U.S. census
- North 20,343 · U.S. census
- Northcutt 6,170 · U.S. census
- Northrop 3,990 · U.S. census
- Northrup 5,663 · U.S. census
- Norval 194 · U.S. census
- Norvell 3,713 · U.S. census
- Norwood 22,461 · U.S. census
- Nosal 1,374 · U.S. census
- Noss 1,287 · U.S. census
- Not 244 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Norton is.
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