Postretirement Health Care Plan Estimated Future Benefit Payments (Detail) - Defined Benefit Postretirement Health Coverage - Other Postretirement Plan $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Schedule of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expected Benefit Payments [Line Items]
2017	$ 2.6
2018	2.7
2019	2.7
2020	2.7
2021	2.6
2022-2026	$ 11.8

Schedule of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expected Benefit Payments [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	ntrs_ScheduleOfPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsExpectedBenefitPaymentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ntrs_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the five fiscal years after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsFiveFiscalYearsThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefits from a defined benefit plan expected to be paid in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ntrs_PostRetirementPlanDisclosuresAxis=us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPostretirementHealthCoverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: