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

Spry, 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 Spry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spry in America

Spry is the 8398th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spry surname appeared 3,940 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Spry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spry 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 Spry

The surname SPRY originated in England, deriving from an Old English word "spryg" meaning a small shoot or twig. It likely first arose as a nickname for a slender or nimble person. The earliest recorded spelling was Spre in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to a landowner from Somerset.

Over the centuries, variations like Sprey, Sprie, and Spray emerged before standardizing as SPRY by the 16th century. Many early bearers hailed from Somerset and Devon, where the name Spry was particularly concentrated in parishes like Culmstock. Some may have adopted locational names like Spryfield from hamlets, though these place names eventually died out.

Notable early examples include Walter Spry (c.1300-1380), a wealthy landowner in Gloucestershire. John Spry (1595-1659) was an English Puritan minister who emigrated to New England, becoming one of the founders of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Sir Richard Spry (1715-1775) was a British naval captain who served with distinction in the Seven Years' War.

Benjamin Spry (1825-1894) was an influential English cricketer who captained Sussex and played for the Gentlemen of England. Paul Spry (1871-1952) was an English champion cyclist who won multiple British titles. Richard Henry Spry (1915-2010) served as Governor-General of Australia from 1972 to 1977.

Throughout its long history, the SPRY surname has been distinctively English, initially concentrated in the West Country before spreading more widely. Its origins as a nickname for an active, sprightly individual reflect its enduring presence amongst families of that region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spry

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

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

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

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