Norman
A surname meaning “Northman,” originally a name for Scandinavians—especially Norsemen or Danes—and later a personal name in England.
The #495 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,560 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Norman comes from a word meaning “north man” or “man from the north.” The sources trace it to Old English Northmann and related Scandinavian forms, with Old French Norman(d) also reflecting the same idea. In medieval usage, it could refer broadly to Norse or Danish people, and after the Viking age it was sometimes adopted as a personal name.
History
In medieval England, Norman could function first as an ethnic label and then as a given name, which later became a surname. The sources note many Domesday tenants called Norman or Normannus, showing early use as a personal name. Related place-based surnames such as Normanby and Normanville also arose from the same root.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The term “Northmen” in early English chronicles could sometimes mean the Danes as well as other Scandinavians, so the surname’s root was a bit broader than modern “Norwegian” or “Danish.”
From the historical record
“the r4th cent. Northlegh, Norlhley. NORMAN (Teut.) Northman [(i) O.Fr. Norman{d, Dan.-Nofw. Nordmand, O.N. Nof^maiS'r (pi. Nor^menn), Northman ; Norwegian' (2) O.E. Jfor^mann, Norse- man ; Dane] In the A.-Saxon Chronicle the term NorVmen{n sometimes embraces the Danes (v. A.D. 787). Elsewhere they are distinguished…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Norman
- Jessye Norman (1945–2019)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.