Surname Norrie - Meaning and Origin

Norrie: What does the surname Norrie mean?

The last name Norrie is a Celtic or Gaelic surname derived from the personal name Norry. This name is thought to have originated as an Old Gaelic name derived from the elements "nar," meaning "high" or "noble," and "ruadh," meaning "red." This could refer to someone with reddish or auburn hair, or someone with fair skin likened to the color of a red rose.

The Norrie surname is found mainly in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, the clan has its origins in North East Scotland in the county of Angus and the name is known in several distinct forms, including Norie, Nory, Norrie, Nore, norrie, and Norreys. The name Norrie may have more than one origin. At one time, it was thought to be a derived from of MacNorie or McNorie.

The Norrie surname is also found with some frequency in the United States, where it was more commonly known as Norris. It is likely that some Norries in the United States are descended from Scottish settlers who arrived there in the late 1700s. It is also possible that some of these Norries are descendants of the Famine Irish who arrived in the US.

The Norrie/Norris surname is found in countries around the world, with some members having an occupational or place name origin, such as Norries from the village of Norris. Families with the Norrie surname can trace their roots back to AncientScotland and Ireland, and more recently to North America.

Norrie: Where does the name Norrie come from?

The last name Norrie is of Scottish origin and is quite common today. According to records from the United States Census Bureau, Norrie is among the top 2,000 surnames in the United States, with 1,986 incidences. It is also quite common in Canada, where it ranks at 9,017th out of 87,145 surnames recorded.

In Scotland, the last name Norrie is often found among Highlanders. While the exact origin of the name is unknown, it is believed to have first appeared in the Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands. Around the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Norrie was used to distinguish people from a certain area or family.

Today, Norrie is the 389th most common Jewish surname. It is thought to be a patronymic name of the Jewish faith meaning “son of the Northman”. This is likely because the family originally hailed from the northern part of the British Isles.

The last name Norrie is still quite common today, with incidences found in Scotland, England, Canada, the United States, and other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Norrie

The surname Norrie has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common among them are: Norry, Norrie, Norris, Norry, Norreys, Norreyson, Norreson, Noreis, and Norrice.

Norry is the most likely historical spelling for the surname, derived from the Old Norse word for 'norr', meaning 'from the north'. This is indicated by its widespread presence in places such as Northern England, the Scottish Borders, and the Shetland Islands.

Norrie is the Anglicized spelling of the name that has become commonplace in many English-speaking nations due to immigration from the British Isles. This variant is especially popular in Australia, where it is sometimes spelled as Norrey or Norreye. The spelling Norris is more common in the United States, while the spelling Norreson is more common in Canada.

The surname Norreys is of Norman origin and is likely to have evolved from the Old French name 'Normand'. This variant is found more commonly in Britain and features regularly in records such as The Grand And Petty Dutchess Of Lancaster, Cornwall And Montgomery. The name is also common in the Shetland Islands with spellings such as Noreis and Norrice.

No matter the spelling, the surname Norrie can be traced back to its Norse and Norman roots. These variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are indicative of the diverse histories and cultures whose imprints remain present in the modern day.

Famous people with the name Norrie

• Angus Norrie: Scottish national whitewater kayaking champion
• Jock Norrie: former Judge of the Court of Session, Scotland’s supreme civil court
• John Norrie: former English footballer
• Robert Norrie: former Chairman of the Scottish Football Association
• Alex Norrie: professional golf player
• Dave Norrie: former professional English footballer
• Dame Alison Norrie, DBE: first female principal and Vice-Chancellor of Napier University
• Frank Norrie: Scottish racer and winner of the 2008 British and Irish Supersport series
• Harry Norrie: Canadian hockey player
• Hugh Norrie: former leader of the Canadian Liberal Party
• James Norrie: Canadian politician and former Member of Parliament
• Joe Norrie: Canadian professional basketball player
• Martin Norrie: English cricketer
• Mary Norrie: Scottish professional figure skating competitor
• Neil Norrie: former Member of Parliament for North Lanarkshire
• Jackie Norrie: former Australian rules footballer
• Tom Norrie: English footballer 18. Helen Norrie: clothing designer and founder of the label ‘Norrie’
• Richard Norrie: pioneering Canadian public relations professional and founder of the Norrad Group
• Val Norrie: former band member of the British rock band Shed Seven

Other surnames

NorridNorrisNorriss