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

Spidell, 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 Spidell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spidell in America

Spidell is the 32268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spidell surname appeared 714 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 Spidell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spidell 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 Spidell

The surname SPIDELL is believed to have originated from the northern German region, likely during the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "speidel," which referred to a type of spindle or bobbin used in weaving and textile production. This suggests that the name may have initially belonged to someone involved in the textile trade or industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the parish records of the town of Lübeck, in northern Germany, dating back to the late 13th century. An entry from 1289 mentions a "Johannes Spidell" as a resident of the town. This provides evidence that the name was already in use and established in the region at that time.

As the name spread throughout northern Germany and the surrounding areas, various spelling variations emerged, including Spiedel, Spydell, and Spidel. These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and differences in pronunciation and record-keeping practices.

During the 16th century, the SPIDELL name appears to have gained some prominence in certain areas. In 1532, a German scholar and theologian named Johann Spidell (1480-1541) was born in the town of Schlettstadt, located in present-day France. He authored several works on theology and religious teachings, contributing to the intellectual discourse of the time.

Another notable figure with the SPIDELL surname was Hans Spidell (1510-1576), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. His works, which included religious themes and portraits, were widely admired during the Renaissance period.

The 17th century saw the SPIDELL name spread further across Europe, with records indicating its presence in various regions. In England, for instance, a man named William Spidell (1620-1685) was born in Essex and later became a prominent merchant and landowner in London.

As the centuries progressed, the SPIDELL name continued to be carried by individuals across different parts of Europe and later, as migration patterns evolved, to other parts of the world. Some notable bearers of the name include the German writer and philosopher Friedrich Spidell (1830-1905) and the American businessman and philanthropist Charles Spidell (1865-1942), who founded the Spidell Corporation in New York.

While the SPIDELL surname may not be among the most common or widespread today, its origins can be traced back to the textile industries of medieval northern Germany, and it has been borne by individuals who have made their mark in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spidell

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

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

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

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