Find out how popular the last name Serling is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Serling.

Serling, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Serling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Serling in America

Serling is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Serling surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Serling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Serling to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Serling

The surname SERLING is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared in the medieval era around the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old German word "sćre," meaning "wounded" or "injured." It likely referred to a person who had sustained an injury or wound, perhaps in battle or during military service.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SERLING surname can be found in the Codex Falkensteinensis, a medieval manuscript from the region of Franconia in Germany, dated to the year 1268. This document mentions a knight named Ulrich Serling, who was a vassal of the Count of Falkenstein.

In the 14th century, the SERLING name appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. Historical records from this period indicate that the surname was sometimes spelled as "Serlink" or "Serlinck," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

The SERLING surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Johann Serling, a German theologian and philosopher born in 1525 in the town of Wittenberg. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and played a role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent figure was Hans Serling, a German artist and engraver who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his intricate woodcut illustrations, which often depicted religious and allegorical scenes.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the SERLING name spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. In 1684, a Dutch merchant named Pieter Serling was recorded as a resident of Amsterdam, where he traded in spices and textiles.

In the 19th century, several individuals with the SERLING surname achieved notable accomplishments. One example is August Serling, a German-born architect who emigrated to the United States in the 1840s. He designed several prominent buildings in New York City, including the Old Tombs Prison and the Seventh Regiment Armory.

Another significant figure was Roderick Serling, a British explorer and writer who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia during the late 19th century. His books, including "The Land of the Nile" and "The Himalayan Expedition," documented his adventures and observations in these regions.

While the SERLING surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and histories of different families and individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Serling

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Serling.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Serling was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Serling has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Serling was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Serling, please contact us.

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