2000
#11,827
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,426
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Sparling
A nickname derived from the Old Norse byname "Sparlund," meaning "spear grove," likely referring to a place of origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,658 Americans carry the last name Sparling. That puts it at #12,715 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,952 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sparling surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sparling with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 128,952
Census rank
#12,715
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,318 bearers of the surname Sparling in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12715th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sparling, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sparling
The surname Sparling is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "spærling," which means "sparrow." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname for someone who was associated with sparrows, perhaps a bird catcher or someone known for their small stature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sparling can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census-like surveys conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I. In these rolls, the name appears as "Sperling" and is associated with various locations across the country.
During the 14th century, the name Sparling began to appear in various records and documents, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it was spelled as "Sparling." This suggests that the name had become well-established in certain regions of England by this time.
In the 15th century, the Sparling surname can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Mary's in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. One notable individual from this period was John Sparling, who was born around 1425 and served as a member of the local guild.
As the name spread across England, it also began to appear in different spellings, such as "Sparlyng," "Sperling," and "Sperlyng." These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling during that era.
In the 16th century, the Sparling name gained prominence with the birth of William Sparling (1555-1622), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich. He is remembered for his contributions to the study of canon law and his involvement in the religious debates of the time.
Another notable figure with the Sparling surname was Henry Sparling (1628-1708), an English merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the colonization of Virginia in the late 17th century. He was a member of the House of Burgesses and owned several plantations in the colony.
In the 18th century, the Sparling name continued to be associated with various professions and trades. One example is Thomas Sparling (1745-1820), a renowned clockmaker from London who was known for his intricate timepiece designs and contributions to the art of horology.
As the name spread across the British Isles and beyond, it also became associated with various place names, such as Sparling's Farm in Nottinghamshire and Sparling's Meadow in Gloucestershire. These place names likely originated from individuals or families with the Sparling surname who had lived or owned land in those areas.
Overall, the surname Sparling has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and potentially used as a descriptive nickname. Over the centuries, the name has been associated with various professions, locations, and notable individuals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sparling
Among Census respondents with the surname Sparling, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sparling bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Sparling surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 2,107
- Two or more races4.1% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 78
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 21
- Black or African American0.5% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sparling
Sparling appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,279
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,532
+106 bearers (+4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Down 452 places
2020
#12,715
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,318
-214 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 436 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,827 | 2,426 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,279 | 2,532 | 0.86 | +106 bearers (+4.4%) | Down 452 places |
| 2020 | #12,715 | 2,318 | 0.78 | -214 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 436 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sparling surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,279 | #12,715 | -3.6% |
| Count | 2,532 | 2,318 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.86 | 0.78 | -9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sparling bearers went from 2,532 to 2,318 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 436 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,279 to #12,715.
FAQ
Sparling surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sparling?
Name Census estimates that about 2,658 living Americans carry the surname Sparling. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,952 residents.
How common is Sparling?
Sparling ranks #12,715 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,318 people with the surname Sparling. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,658), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sparling.
Has Sparling become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sparling went from 2,532 recorded bearers to 2,318. That is a decrease of 214 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,279 to #12,715.
What does the Census say about the background of Sparling?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sparling, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sparling in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (2,107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sparling appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (4.1%), Hispanic (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sparling (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sparling mean?
A nickname derived from the Old Norse byname "Sparlund," meaning "spear grove," likely referring to a place of origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sparling (0.78 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Sparling?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.