NameCensus.

UK surname

Spalding

A toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, England, derived from a river name.

In the 1881 census there were 2,160 people recorded with the Spalding surname, ranking it #2,058 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,854, ranked #2,354, down from #2,058 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hawick and Wilton and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Armadale, Waveney and Armadale South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spalding is 3,073 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.1%.

1881 census count

2,160

Ranked #2,058

Modern count

2,854

2016, ranked #2,354

Peak year

1998

3,073 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spalding had 2,160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,058 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,854 in 2016, ranked #2,354.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,831 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Spalding surname distribution map

The map shows where the Spalding surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Spalding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spalding over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,401 #2,050
1861 historical 1,345 #2,126
1881 historical 2,160 #2,058
1891 historical 2,494 #1,898
1901 historical 2,831 #1,967
1911 historical 2,260 #2,240
1997 modern 2,984 #2,166
1998 modern 3,073 #2,185
1999 modern 3,069 #2,206
2000 modern 3,035 #2,222
2001 modern 2,967 #2,221
2002 modern 3,016 #2,229
2003 modern 2,955 #2,229
2004 modern 2,885 #2,284
2005 modern 2,856 #2,271
2006 modern 2,839 #2,290
2007 modern 2,833 #2,313
2008 modern 2,849 #2,320
2009 modern 2,917 #2,324
2010 modern 2,927 #2,356
2011 modern 2,887 #2,354
2012 modern 2,806 #2,381
2013 modern 2,854 #2,386
2014 modern 2,890 #2,367
2015 modern 2,880 #2,343
2016 modern 2,854 #2,354

Geography

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Where Spaldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hawick and Wilton, St Pancras and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Armadale, Waveney, Armadale South and Mid Suffolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Armadale West Lothian
2 Waveney 010 Waveney
3 Waveney 004 Waveney
4 Armadale South West Lothian
5 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spalding

These lists show first names that appear often with the Spalding surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spalding

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spalding, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Spalding surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Spalding household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Spalding is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spalding is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spalding falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spalding is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Spalding, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Spalding

The surname Spalding is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the place name Spalding, a town in Lincolnshire, England. The place name itself is thought to come from the Old English words "spald" meaning a ridge or tongue of land, and "ing" meaning people or family.

Spalding was first recorded as a surname in the late 12th century, with one of the earliest known bearers being Robert de Spalding, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. The surname likely emerged as people from the town of Spalding began to adopt it as a hereditary name.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the town of Spalding is referred to as "Spaldinghe," indicating the long history of the name's association with the area. Other early spellings of the surname include Spaldyng, Spaldynge, and Spaldinge.

One notable bearer of the Spalding surname was John Spalding (c. 1610-1669), a Scottish writer and lawyer who authored several works, including "Memoirs of the Trubles in Scotland and England." Another was Samuel Spalding (1714-1796), an American merchant and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress.

In the 19th century, Benjamin Spalding (1781-1859) founded the sporting goods company that bears his surname, which became famous for producing high-quality baseballs and other athletic equipment. Albert Spalding (1850-1915), his son, was a renowned baseball player and promoter who played a significant role in establishing baseball as a popular American pastime.

Another prominent figure with the Spalding surname was John Franklin Spalding (1828-1902), an American Catholic bishop and author who served as the Bishop of Peoria, Illinois, and wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spalding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spalding surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Suffolk leads with 256 Spaldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.05x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 256 10.05x
Middlesex 248 1.19x
Angus 224 11.56x
Norfolk 213 6.62x
Lincolnshire 166 4.96x
Surrey 114 1.12x
Essex 94 2.28x
Midlothian 93 3.32x
Perthshire 69 7.35x
Lancashire 57 0.23x
Lanarkshire 54 0.80x
Worcestershire 45 1.65x
Cambridgeshire 44 3.32x
Kent 39 0.55x
Warwickshire 39 0.74x
Yorkshire 37 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 35 1.81x
Roxburghshire 34 8.98x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.67x
Sussex 19 0.54x
West Lothian 19 6.03x
Banffshire 18 4.15x
Devon 18 0.41x
Fife 18 1.45x
Peeblesshire 17 17.28x
Stirlingshire 16 2.07x
Northumberland 13 0.42x
Staffordshire 12 0.17x
Bedfordshire 11 1.02x
Derbyshire 11 0.34x
Kincardineshire 11 4.32x
Argyllshire 10 1.72x
Durham 10 0.16x
Hertfordshire 9 0.62x
Dumfriesshire 6 1.30x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.44x
Cheshire 5 0.11x
Inverness-shire 5 0.80x
Hampshire 4 0.09x
Somerset 4 0.12x
Wigtownshire 4 1.44x
Ayrshire 2 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.05x
Northamptonshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 0.80x
Wiltshire 2 0.11x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Caithness 1 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 84 Spaldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.61x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 84 11.61x
Islington London 46 2.27x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 45 3.99x
Beccles 33 80.49x
St Pancras London 32 1.90x
Croydon 28 4.95x
Lambeth 23 1.26x
Barry 21 90.32x
Blairgowrie 21 56.56x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 21 43.92x
Shoreditch London 21 2.32x
Alyth 20 79.18x
Wilton 20 48.11x
Birmingham 19 1.08x
Camberwell 19 1.42x
Aston 18 1.24x
Brechin 18 23.64x
Heigham 18 10.43x
South Leith 17 5.39x
Stoke Prior 17 100.89x
Barsham 16 733.95x
Dalserf 16 23.70x
Monikie 16 157.48x
Thetford St Mary 16 182.65x
Barony 15 0.88x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 14 3.86x
Bethnal Green London 14 1.54x
Hawick 14 16.51x
Ipswich St Peter 14 40.83x
Kirkdale 14 3.35x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 19.11x
Hengrave 13 915.49x
Worcester St Clement 13 74.84x
Forfar 12 11.44x
Hamilton 12 6.36x
Liff Benvie 12 4.08x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 12 61.35x
Oldham 12 1.50x
St George In East 12 8.44x
St Luke London 12 3.58x
Stainfield 12 827.59x
Basford 11 8.47x
Kensington London 11 0.95x
Peebles 11 37.84x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 11 186.44x
Thurston 11 220.88x
West Ham 11 1.21x
Branston 10 97.66x
Flempton 10 787.40x
Hampstead London 10 3.07x
Paddington London 10 1.30x
Bathgate 9 13.16x
Benhall 9 201.79x
Broome 9 244.57x
Dysart 9 10.80x
Elswick 9 3.62x
Flixton 9 532.54x
Hackney London 9 0.77x
Kirkliston 9 48.99x
Monifieth 9 13.15x
St Swithin Lincoln 9 17.12x
Tealby 9 191.90x
Weeting With Broomhill 9 378.15x
Winthorpe 9 373.44x
Yoxford 9 118.42x
Bagmore Burton By 8 353.98x
Bardney 8 80.24x
Bottisham 8 70.92x
Downham Market 8 36.22x
Ealing 8 4.28x
Ellingham 8 329.22x
Inverkeillor 8 66.61x
Mundham 8 379.15x
Newington 8 1.04x
Norwich St Peter 8 37.90x
Shimpling 8 640.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 1.07x
Swaffham Bulbeck 8 150.09x
Tonge 8 15.36x
Bulmer 7 140.56x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Spalding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Spalding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 92
John 68
George 55
James 54
Thomas 42
Charles 34
Henry 33
Robert 25
Walter 24
Alfred 19
Arthur 19
Frederick 17
Edward 16
Herbert 14
Samuel 14
Harry 12
Joseph 12
Francis 10
Richard 10
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Frank 9
Jonathan 5
Daniel 4
Wm. 4
Alfd. 3
David 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Fredk. 3
H. 3
Peter 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Sydney 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Brown 2
C. 2
Edmund 2
Frances 2
Jeremiah 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Spalding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spalding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,160 people were recorded with the Spalding surname. That placed it at #2,058 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spalding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,854 in 2016. That gives Spalding a modern rank of #2,354.

What does the Spalding surname mean?

A toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, England, derived from a river name.

What does the Spalding map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Spalding bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.