NameCensus.

UK surname

Norrie

A habitational surname likely referring to someone from a location called Norry.

In the 1881 census there were 931 people recorded with the Norrie surname, ranking it #4,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,152, ranked #5,124, down from #4,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Kirriemuir and Arbroath Landward.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Norrie is 1,190 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.7%.

1881 census count

931

Ranked #4,131

Modern count

1,152

2016, ranked #5,124

Peak year

1999

1,190 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Norrie had 931 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,152 in 2016, ranked #5,124.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,014 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Norrie surname distribution map

The map shows where the Norrie surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Norrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Norrie over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 565 #4,492
1861 historical 609 #4,362
1881 historical 931 #4,131
1891 historical 922 #4,481
1901 historical 1,014 #4,703
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 1,080 #5,156
1998 modern 1,175 #4,965
1999 modern 1,190 #4,966
2000 modern 1,161 #5,042
2001 modern 1,131 #5,059
2002 modern 1,143 #5,115
2003 modern 1,097 #5,193
2004 modern 1,119 #5,110
2005 modern 1,114 #5,083
2006 modern 1,137 #4,986
2007 modern 1,131 #5,065
2008 modern 1,140 #5,061
2009 modern 1,175 #5,028
2010 modern 1,177 #5,125
2011 modern 1,166 #5,108
2012 modern 1,148 #5,095
2013 modern 1,154 #5,164
2014 modern 1,159 #5,168
2015 modern 1,162 #5,107
2016 modern 1,152 #5,124

Geography

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Where Norries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Aberdeen and Old Machar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Kirriemuir and Arbroath Landward. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 033 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Kirriemuir Angus
3 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Arbroath Landward Angus
5 Kingston upon Hull 003 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Norrie

These lists show first names that appear often with the Norrie surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Norrie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Norrie, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Norrie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Norrie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Norrie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Norrie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Norrie falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Norrie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Norrie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Norrie

The surname Norrie has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Scottish surname Norrie or Norie, derived from the Old Norse personal name Nordri, meaning "northerner" or "from the north."

The name was particularly prevalent in the northeastern regions of Scotland, such as Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire. Some early records suggest that the name may have been associated with individuals who migrated from the northern parts of Scotland to other regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Norrie can be found in the Scottish Parish Registers from the late 16th century. In 1593, a certain John Norrie was mentioned in the records of Elgin, Moray.

In the 17th century, the surname Norrie appeared in various historical documents, including the Birse Parish Register in Aberdeenshire, where the name was spelled as "Norie" in 1646. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Norrie throughout history include:

1. Robert Norrie (c. 1570-1620), a Scottish minister and scholar who served as the Principal of St. Leonard's College, University of St. Andrews.

2. John Norrie (1657-1726), a Scottish Episcopal clergyman and historian who authored the influential work "Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland."

3. James Norrie (1811-1879), a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who made a fortune in the shipping industry and founded the Norrie Chair of Philosophy at the University of St. Andrews.

4. Sir William Norrie (1846-1923), a Scottish-born civil engineer and public servant who served as the Chief Commissioner of the British Central Africa Protectorate (now Malawi) from 1891 to 1893.

5. John Norrie (1880-1949), a Scottish artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits, many of which depicted scenes from the Scottish Highlands.

While the surname Norrie has Scottish roots, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns. However, its historical origins can be traced back to the northern regions of Scotland, where it was closely tied to the Old Norse influence on the Scottish culture and language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Norrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Norrie surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Angus leads with 311 Norries recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.08x.

County Total Index
Angus 311 37.08x
Aberdeenshire 243 28.98x
Midlothian 59 4.87x
Lanarkshire 46 1.57x
Renfrewshire 42 5.99x
Fife 31 5.78x
Perthshire 29 7.14x
Lancashire 20 0.19x
Middlesex 16 0.18x
Dunbartonshire 14 5.75x
Inverness-shire 12 4.44x
Roxburghshire 12 7.32x
Kincardineshire 10 9.07x
Banffshire 9 4.79x
Durham 9 0.33x
Kent 9 0.29x
Stirlingshire 9 2.70x
Ayrshire 5 0.74x
Surrey 5 0.11x
Yorkshire 5 0.06x
Devon 4 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 3.05x
West Lothian 4 2.93x
Morayshire 3 2.13x
Shropshire 3 0.38x
Essex 2 0.11x
Hertfordshire 2 0.32x
Argyllshire 1 0.40x
Channel Islands 1 0.37x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Kinross-shire 1 4.37x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 1 0.40x
Royal Navy 1 0.93x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Sutherland 1 1.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 77 Norries recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.59x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 77 24.59x
Monifieth 64 216.07x
Aberdeen Old Machar 53 30.28x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 35 22.31x
Liff Benvie 30 23.56x
Forfar 19 41.84x
Govan 19 2.62x
Barony 17 2.29x
Abbey 16 14.95x
New Deer 15 98.81x
Old Deer 15 94.40x
Barry 14 139.17x
New Machar 14 297.24x
Edinburgh St Stephens 13 54.46x
Farnell 12 625.00x
Fyvie 12 87.72x
Paisley High Church 12 21.49x
Panbride 12 274.60x
Murroes 11 472.10x
Tarves 11 138.71x
Arngask 10 591.72x
Methlick 10 149.03x
Monikie 10 227.27x
Yetholm 10 308.64x
Blairgowrie 9 56.01x
Echt 9 222.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 1.84x
Newburgh 9 132.16x
Newhills 9 52.42x
Aberlemno 8 258.06x
Arbirlot 8 313.73x
Inverness 8 11.76x
North Leith 8 14.26x
Shotts 8 22.84x
South Leith 8 5.86x
St Ninians 8 24.18x
Alyth 7 63.99x
Belhelvie 7 122.16x
East Greenock 7 10.57x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 29.70x
Everton 7 2.04x
Greenwich 7 4.86x
Monimail 7 267.18x
Roseneath 7 149.89x
Arbroath 6 21.59x
Brechin 6 18.20x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 20.91x
Fraserburgh 6 25.42x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 11.41x
Nigg 6 65.79x
Ordiquhill 6 270.27x
Row 6 19.07x
St Vigeans 6 13.25x
Bourtie 5 347.22x
Dunnichen 5 113.12x
Little Woolton 5 161.81x
Udny 5 98.43x
Bathgate 4 13.51x
Glamis 4 79.05x
Inverurie 4 42.19x
Kells 4 132.89x
Kinellar 4 222.22x
King Edward 4 41.41x
Neilston 4 11.36x
Peterhead 4 9.02x
Petty 4 84.39x
Plymouth Charles The 4 4.82x
Tulliallan 4 58.06x
Tyrie 4 38.02x
Ayr 3 9.38x
Comrie 3 51.64x
Crossgate 3 25.47x
Eassie Nevay 3 172.41x
Egham 3 11.08x
Forres 3 20.30x
Hackney London 3 0.59x
Harefield 3 64.38x
Horton In Bradford 3 2.14x
Huntly 3 21.99x
Inverarity 3 111.52x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Norrie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 3
Margaret 3
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Alice 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emilia 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Francessa 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Norrie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 6
Charles 4
Edward 3
James 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Thos. 2
William 2
Allon 1
Ambrose 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Fk. 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Jos. 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Stewart 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Youle 1

FAQ

Norrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Norrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 931 people were recorded with the Norrie surname. That placed it at #4,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Norrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,152 in 2016. That gives Norrie a modern rank of #5,124.

What does the Norrie surname mean?

A habitational surname likely referring to someone from a location called Norry.

What does the Norrie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Norrie bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.