Spaulding
A masculine name derived from an English surname of unknown origin.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Spaulding. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Spaulding today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Spaulding births was 1920 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Spaulding. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Spaulding. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,896
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Spaulding: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Spaulding by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Spaulding during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Spaulding
The name Spaulding is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "spald" meaning "chip" or "splinter" and "ing" indicating a person or place. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the Middle Ages, referring to someone who lived near a woodchip or splinter factory, or perhaps a woodcutter or carpenter by trade.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Spaulding can be traced back to the 12th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers was William de Spaldyng, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. The name was also found in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appeared as "Spaldyng."
While the name Spaulding does not have any direct biblical or religious associations, it is worth noting that the word "spalding" was used in Middle English to refer to a type of wood used for making spiles or taps for casks and barrels. This connection to woodworking may have influenced the name's development and usage.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Spaulding. One of the earliest was Spaulding Grey (1941-2004), an American writer, actor, and monologuist best known for his autobiographical monologue "Swimming to Cambodia." Another prominent figure was Spaulding Byse (1918-1997), an American lawyer and judge who served as a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In the world of sports, Spaulding Lowe (1879-1951) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for several teams in the early 20th century, including the Montreal Wanderers and the Quebec Bulldogs. Additionally, Spaulding Smails (1892-1967) was an American golfer who won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1914.
Another notable bearer of the name was Spaulding Taylor (1912-2005), an American artist and painter known for his abstract expressionist works. He was a member of the renowned New York School of painters and had a significant influence on the American art scene in the mid-20th century.
While the name Spaulding is not as common today as it once was, it remains a unique and historically significant name with roots in the English language and a connection to woodworking and craftsmanship.
People
Spaulding + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Spaulding as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Spaulding: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Spaulding?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Spaulding going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Spaulding a common name?
We classify Spaulding as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Spaulding most popular?
The single biggest year for Spaulding was 1920, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Spaulding is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Spaulding in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Spaulding a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Spaulding in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Spaulding still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Spaulding in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Spaulding can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Spaulding?
You can see how many Americans are named Spaulding on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.