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Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Tax Credit Structures    
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]    
Carrying amounts $ 208,900,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
$ 222,300,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
Exposure to loss from liquidity arrangements and obligations to purchase assets 0us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
 
Liabilities related to unfunded commitments 15,600,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountLiabilities
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
19,800,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountLiabilities
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
Affordable housing tax credits and other tax benefits 58,100,000ntrs_AffordableHousingTaxCreditsAndOtherTaxBenefits
/ ntrs_TaxCreditEntitiesAxis
= ntrs_TaxCreditStructuresMember
 
Leveraged Leasing Transactions    
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]    
Carrying amounts 547,600,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
671,200,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
Exposure to loss from liquidity arrangements and obligations to purchase assets $ 0us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
 
Leveraged Leasing Transactions | Lower Limit    
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]    
Funding of asset's cost via an equity interest 20.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaEquityInterest
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
20.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaEquityInterest
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Funding of asset's cost via third party non recourse debt holders 70.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaDebt
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
70.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaDebt
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Leveraged Leasing Transactions | Upper Limit    
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]    
Funding of asset's cost via an equity interest 30.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaEquityInterest
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
30.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaEquityInterest
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Funding of asset's cost via third party non recourse debt holders 80.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaDebt
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
80.00%ntrs_FundingOfAssetsCostViaDebt
/ ntrs_LeveragedLeasesAxis
= ntrs_LeveragedLeasesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember