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

Sparkman, 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 Sparkman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sparkman in America

Sparkman is the 4661st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sparkman surname appeared 7,607 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Sparkman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sparkman 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 Sparkman

The surname Sparkman has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "sperc" and "man," which together mean "a man who worked with sparks or a blacksmith." The name was likely given to those whose occupation involved working with fire and metal.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Sparkeman." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century and may have been even older.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it is spelled "Sparkemannus." This Latin variation highlights the name's evolution and adaptation across different regions and languages.

During the 16th century, the name took on various spellings, such as "Sparkeman" and "Sparkman," reflecting the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. One notable individual from this period was John Sparkman, a merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who was born in 1545 and died in 1612.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Thomas Sparkman (1635-1692), a prominent Quaker and landowner in Gloucestershire, and William Sparkman (1650-1718), a renowned clockmaker from London.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way into various place names, such as Sparkman's Wood in Gloucestershire and Sparkman's Hill in Herefordshire, further solidifying its connection to the region.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Sparkman in later centuries were:

1. John Sparkman (1799-1855), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Guildford.
2. John Jackson Sparkman (1899-1985), an American politician and United States Senator from Alabama.
3. Sir Phillip Sparkman (1892-1976), a British diplomat and ambassador to Turkey.
4. Edith Sparkman (1909-1995), an American author and children's book writer.
5. William Sparkman (1951-2009), an American census worker who was tragically murdered in Kentucky.

While the surname Sparkman may have evolved over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the English tradition, reflecting the occupational and geographical influences that shaped its development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sparkman

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

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

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

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