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

Spang, 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 Spang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spang in America

Spang is the 17823rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spang surname appeared 1,570 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Spang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spang 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 Spang

The surname Spang is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It dates back to the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "spang," which referred to a metal clasp or buckle used to fasten garments or armor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Spang surname can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae," a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name had already spread beyond its Bavarian origins by that time.

In the 14th century, a nobleman named Heinrich Spang was mentioned in the records of the city of Nuremberg. He was a prominent figure in the region and owned several estates in the surrounding areas.

During the 16th century, a family with the surname Spang was known to have resided in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria. The Spang family was involved in the local textile trade and owned a successful weaving business.

One notable figure bearing the Spang surname was Frau Margaretha Spang, who lived in the late 16th century. She was a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in the town of Dinkelsbühl, also located in Bavaria. Historical records show that she donated a significant portion of her wealth to the local church and to support the education of underprivileged children.

In the 17th century, a man named Johann Spang gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker in the city of Augsburg, which was renowned for its watchmaking industry during that time.

Another individual worth mentioning is Philipp Spang, who was born in 1639 in the town of Bamberg. He was a prominent theologian and author, known for his works on Protestant theology and his involvement in the religious debates of that era.

As the Spang surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to other regions, such as Switzerland and Austria. In the 19th century, a Swiss mathematician named Johann Spang made significant contributions to the field of geometry and published several influential papers on the subject.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Spang throughout history, highlighting its German origins and its presence in various regions and fields over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spang

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

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 Spang 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 Spang 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 Spang was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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