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Employee Benefits - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Age
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Estimated contribution defined contribution plans $ 46.8us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 43.0us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 41.0us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized  
Rabbi Trust        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Assets related to the pension plan 93.2us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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85.1us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Contributions made to the pension plan 13.9us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
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16.4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
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U.S. Plan        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Assets related to the pension plan 1,440.8us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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1,342.1us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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1,277.7us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Prior service costs, amortization period (years) 11 years      
Benefit Obligation increase as a result of adopting the RP-2014 mortality table with improvement scale MP-2014 25.7us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationPeriodIncreaseDecrease
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Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 7.25%ntrs_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingPlanAssetsExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
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Weighted average discount rate used in determining the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 4.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
   
U.S. Plan | Alternative Investment        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | Qualified Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Lower Limit        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Contribution to plan assets 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
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U.S. Plan | Qualified Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Upper Limit        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Contribution to plan assets 150.0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
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U.S. Plan | U.S. | Preferred and Common Stock        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Assets related to the pension plan   116.0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Target allocation of plan assets 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | Non U.S. | Preferred and Common Stock        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Assets related to the pension plan   56.8us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Target allocation of plan assets 15.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | U.S. Government Sponsored Agency | Fixed Income Funds        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 45.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | Private Equity Funds | Alternative Investment        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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= ntrs_AlternativeInvestmentMember
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U.S. Plan | Private Equity Funds | Upper Limit        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Equity target allocation of plan assets 20.00%ntrs_PercentageOfTotalLimitedPartnershipInWhichPrivateEquityInvestmentsCanInvest
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U.S. Plan | Hedge Funds | Alternative Investment        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | Real Estate | Alternative Investment        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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= ntrs_AlternativeInvestmentMember
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U.S. Plan | Global Listed Infrastructure | Alternative Investment        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Target allocation of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
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U.S. Plan | Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Assets related to the pension plan 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Supplemental Plan        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Prior service costs, amortization period (years) 9 years      
Benefit Obligation increase as a result of adopting the RP-2014 mortality table with improvement scale MP-2014 0.7us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_SupplementalEmployeeRetirementPlanDefinedBenefitMember
     
Weighted average discount rate used in determining the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 4.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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= us-gaap_SupplementalEmployeeRetirementPlanDefinedBenefitMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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= us-gaap_SupplementalEmployeeRetirementPlanDefinedBenefitMember
   
Defined Benefit Postretirement Health Coverage        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Services attained by employees for eligibility, years       15 years
Services attained by employees for eligibility, retiring age       55ntrs_EmployeesRetirementAge
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Employee Group Waiver Plan        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Employee Group Waiver Plan (EGWP), effective date January 2012      
Reduction in postretirement health care plan liability     26.7ntrs_ReductionInPostretirementHealthCarePlanLiability
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Increase in net actuarial gain     3.3ntrs_IncreaseInNetActuarialGain
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= ntrs_EmployeeGroupWaiverPlanMember
 
Other Postretirement Plan        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Benefit Obligation increase as a result of adopting the RP-2014 mortality table with improvement scale MP-2014 2.2us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
     
Weighted average discount rate used in determining the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 4.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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Ultimate health care rate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
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= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
     
Other Postretirement Plan | Pre-Age 65 Medical and Drug Benefits        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Current health care cost trend rate 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
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Year in which ultimate trend rate will be reached 2022      
Other Postretirement Plan | Post-Age 65 Medical and Drug Benefits        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Current health care cost trend rate 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
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Year in which ultimate trend rate will be reached 2022      
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit        
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]        
Amortization from AOCI of the net actuarial gain (loss) 38.6us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
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Amortization from AOCI of the prior service benefit $ (0.2)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
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