2000
#20,484
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,204
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.45
Rare Last name
Sprunger
A surname potentially derived from a German word meaning "leaper" or "jumper."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,429 Americans carry the last name Sprunger. That puts it at #21,381 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 239,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sprunger 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.
Bearers in the US
1.4K
1 in 239,856
Census rank
#21,381
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,246 bearers of the surname Sprunger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21381st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sprunger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sprunger
The surname SPRUNGER is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southwestern region of Germany, particularly in the areas around Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
The name SPRUNGER is thought to be derived from the German word "springen," which means "to jump" or "to leap." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name given to individuals who worked as dancers, acrobats, or performers known for their agility and leaping abilities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SPRUNGER name can be found in the parish records of the town of Esslingen, located near Stuttgart, dating back to the late 1500s. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Sprünger," "Sprunger," and "Sprenger," reflecting the variations common in historical documents.
During the 17th century, the SPRUNGER name gained prominence in the region of Swabia, where several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged. One such figure was Johann Georg Sprunger (1614-1679), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from the town of Reutlingen. His innovative contributions to the field of timekeeping were widely recognized during his lifetime.
Another notable SPRUNGER was Friedrich Sprunger (1771-1848), a prominent theologian and philosopher from the town of Tübingen. His writings on ethics and moral philosophy were widely studied and influential in academic circles of the time.
In the 19th century, the SPRUNGER name spread beyond Germany as members of the family emigrated to other parts of Europe and the United States. One prominent individual was Johann Sprunger (1828-1901), a Swiss-born horticulturist and botanist who made significant contributions to the study and cultivation of various plant species.
Elsewhere, in the United States, the SPRUNGER name gained recognition through the achievements of individuals such as William Sprunger (1857-1932), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Ohio, who played a significant role in the development of his local community.
Throughout history, the SPRUNGER name has been associated with diverse fields, including the arts, academia, business, and horticulture, reflecting the versatility and accomplishments of those who carried this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sprunger
Among Census respondents with the surname Sprunger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Sprunger 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 Sprunger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 1,164
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 37
- Two or more races2.7% · 34
- Black or African American0.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sprunger
Sprunger 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
#23,054
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,109
-95 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 2,570 places
2020
#21,381
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,246
+137 bearers (+12.4%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Up 1,673 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,484 | 1,204 | 0.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,054 | 1,109 | 0.38 | -95 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 2,570 places |
| 2020 | #21,381 | 1,246 | 0.42 | +137 bearers (+12.4%) | Up 1,673 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 Sprunger 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 | #23,054 | #21,381 | 7.3% |
| Count | 1,109 | 1,246 | 12.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.42 | 9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sprunger bearers went from 1,109 to 1,246 (+12.4% change). The surname moved up 1,673 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,054 to #21,381.
FAQ
Sprunger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sprunger?
Name Census estimates that about 1,429 living Americans carry the surname Sprunger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 239,856 residents.
How common is Sprunger?
Sprunger ranks #21,381 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,246 people with the surname Sprunger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,429), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sprunger.
Has Sprunger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sprunger went from 1,109 recorded bearers to 1,246. That is an increase of 137 (+12.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #23,054 to #21,381.
What does the Census say about the background of Sprunger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sprunger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (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 Sprunger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (1,164 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sprunger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (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 Sprunger (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 Sprunger mean?
A surname potentially derived from a German word meaning "leaper" or "jumper." 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 Sprunger (0.42 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 Americans have the surname Sprunger?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.