2000
#10,142
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,920
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.08
Rare Last name
Sproul
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Stirling, likely meaning "sprouting spring" or "stream near a wood."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,088 Americans carry the last name Sproul. That puts it at #11,227 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.90 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 110,996 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sproul 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 Sproul with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 110,996
Census rank
#11,227
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,693 bearers of the surname Sproul in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.90 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11227th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sproul, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sproul
The surname Sproul is of Scottish origin, derived from the word "sproul" or "sproull," which is believed to come from the Old English word "sprogga" or "sprogge," meaning a sprout or young shoot. This name is thought to have originated as a nickname for someone with a slender or youthful appearance.
The name Sproul is most commonly found in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire. It is believed that the earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, though its exact origins are uncertain.
One of the earliest documented examples of the Sproul surname is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The name appears as "Spreul" in this record.
Another notable early reference to the Sproul name is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 14th century, where a "Thomas Sprowell" is mentioned as a tenant farmer in the county of Lanarkshire.
Throughout the centuries, the Sproul surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Sproull, Sproulle, Sprowell, and Sprowle. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual scribes.
One of the most notable individuals with the Sproul surname was Sir James Sproul (c. 1530-1599), a Scottish landowner and political figure who served as the Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1587 to 1589.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Sproul (1619-1683), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord President of the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland.
In the 18th century, James Sproul (1725-1803) was a Scottish merchant and banker who established the first private banking institution in Glasgow.
In the United States, William Sproul (1870-1928) was a prominent politician who served as the Governor of Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1923.
More recently, Robert Sproul (1891-1975) was an American educator and the 11th President of the University of California system from 1930 to 1958.
While the Sproul surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with notable bearers in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The name continues to carry a rich history and legacy, reflecting the resilience and accomplishments of those who have borne it throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sproul
Among Census respondents with the surname Sproul, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Sproul 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 Sproul surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 2,390
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 129
- Black or African American2.7% · 73
- Two or more races2.4% · 65
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sproul
Sproul 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
#10,739
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,972
+52 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 597 places
2020
#11,227
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,693
-279 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.90
Rank movement Down 488 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,142 | 2,920 | 1.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,739 | 2,972 | 1.01 | +52 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 597 places |
| 2020 | #11,227 | 2,693 | 0.90 | -279 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 488 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 Sproul 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 | #10,739 | #11,227 | -4.5% |
| Count | 2,972 | 2,693 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.01 | 0.90 | -10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sproul bearers went from 2,972 to 2,693 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 488 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,739 to #11,227.
FAQ
Sproul surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sproul?
Name Census estimates that about 3,088 living Americans carry the surname Sproul. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 110,996 residents.
How common is Sproul?
Sproul ranks #11,227 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.90 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 2,693 people with the surname Sproul. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,088), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.9 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.90 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 Sproul.
Has Sproul become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sproul went from 2,972 recorded bearers to 2,693. That is a decrease of 279 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,739 to #11,227.
What does the Census say about the background of Sproul?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sproul, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.7%). 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 Sproul in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (2,390 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sproul appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Hispanic (4.8%), Black (2.7%). 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 Sproul (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 Sproul mean?
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Stirling, likely meaning "sprouting spring" or "stream near a wood." 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 Sproul (0.90 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 last name Sproul?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Sproul on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.