Spall
A surname derived from the Old English word for "splinter" or "chip," possibly referring to an occupation.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 720 Americans carry the last name Spall. That puts it at #36,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 476,048 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Spall surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
720
1 in 476,048
Census rank
#36,788
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
607
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 607 bearers of the surname Spall in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Spall, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Spall
The surname SPALL is believed to have originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "spall," which referred to a chip or splinter of wood or stone. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with wood or stone, such as a carpenter or stonemason.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SPALL can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which lists a Richard Spall. This suggests that the name was well-established in the Midlands region of England by the late 13th century.
The SPALL surname is also found in various other historical records from medieval England, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mentions a John Spall from Oxfordshire. Additionally, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1301, where a Robert Spall is listed.
While the name SPALL does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England, its absence does not necessarily negate its antiquity, as many surnames were not consistently recorded in written records until later centuries.
One notable individual bearing the SPALL surname was Sir John Spall (c. 1525-1592), an English lawyer and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was William Spall (1805-1887), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.
Other individuals of note include Thomas Spall (1721-1788), an English clergyman and author, and Richard Spall (1755-1832), a British engineer and inventor who made contributions to the development of early steam engines.
It is worth mentioning that variations in spelling, such as Spell, Spall, and Spaul, were common in earlier centuries due to inconsistent record-keeping and regional dialects. Additionally, the name SPALL may have been derived from place names or other geographic locations, further contributing to its diversity in origin and meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Spall
Among Census respondents with the surname Spall, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Spall bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Spall surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Unknown or suppressed0.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Spall surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,503 | #36,788 | -6.6% |
| Count | 621 | 607 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.21 | -8.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Spall bearers went from 621 to 607 (-2.3% change). The surname moved down 2,285 positions in the national ranking, going from #34,503 to #36,788.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Spall
FAQ
Spall surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Spall?
The surname Spall holds position #36,788 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 720 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Spall surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Spall, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.