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

Sphon, 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 Sphon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sphon in America

Sphon is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sphon surname appeared 139 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 Sphon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sphon 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 Sphon

The surname SPHON has its origins in Germany, originating sometime in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "spohn", which referred to a type of wood shaving or chip. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked with wood or was involved in woodworking or carpentry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SPHON surname appears in a document from the town of Nuremberg, dated to the year 1387, which mentions a "Hans Sphon" as a resident of the town. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, there are records of a Johann Sphon, born in 1512 in the town of Augsburg, who was a prominent woodcarver and sculptor. His works can still be seen in several churches and cathedrals throughout southern Germany.

Another notable bearer of the SPHON surname was Christoph Sphon (1577-1643), a German theologian and writer who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg. He was known for his works on theology and biblical exegesis.

In the late 17th century, the name appears in various records in the region of Franconia, including references to a family of woodworkers and carpenters from the town of Bamberg. One member of this family, Georg Sphon (1641-1718), was a renowned master carpenter who worked on several notable buildings in the area.

The SPHON surname also appears in historical records from other parts of Germany, such as a mention of a merchant named Hans Sphon from the city of Hamburg in the early 18th century.

Throughout its history, the SPHON name has maintained its association with woodworking and carpentry, reflecting the occupational roots of the surname. While variations in spelling, such as Spohn or Spon, may have existed, the core pronunciation and meaning have remained consistent over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sphon

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

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

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

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