NameCensus.

UK surname

Spall

A surname derived from the Old English word for "splinter" or "chip," possibly referring to an occupation.

In the 1881 census there were 565 people recorded with the Spall surname, ranking it #6,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 988, ranked #5,859, up from #6,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Holton, Blythford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, North East Lincolnshire and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spall is 1,045 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.9%.

1881 census count

565

Ranked #6,131

Modern count

988

2016, ranked #5,859

Peak year

2002

1,045 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spall had 565 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 988 in 2016, ranked #5,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 895 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Spall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Spall 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 336 #6,970
1861 historical 371 #6,875
1881 historical 565 #6,131
1891 historical 639 #6,066
1901 historical 755 #5,914
1911 historical 895 #4,973
1997 modern 1,010 #5,455
1998 modern 1,036 #5,511
1999 modern 1,037 #5,542
2000 modern 1,033 #5,534
2001 modern 990 #5,619
2002 modern 1,045 #5,485
2003 modern 1,034 #5,449
2004 modern 1,000 #5,598
2005 modern 983 #5,623
2006 modern 955 #5,770
2007 modern 948 #5,861
2008 modern 950 #5,879
2009 modern 965 #5,930
2010 modern 964 #6,052
2011 modern 972 #5,944
2012 modern 998 #5,741
2013 modern 1,022 #5,722
2014 modern 1,019 #5,774
2015 modern 1,009 #5,769
2016 modern 988 #5,859

Geography

Back to top

Where Spalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Holton, Blythford, Beccles and Ipswich St Clement and Warren House. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, North East Lincolnshire, Mid Suffolk and North Mainland. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Holton, Blythford Suffolk
4 Beccles Suffolk
5 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 001 Suffolk Coastal
2 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
3 North East Lincolnshire 014 North East Lincolnshire
4 Mid Suffolk 012 Mid Suffolk
5 North Mainland Shetland Islands

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Spall

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Spall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spall, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Spall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Spall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Spall 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

Spall is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spall falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spall 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 Spall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Spall

The surname SPALL is believed to have originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "spall," which referred to a chip or splinter of wood or stone. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with wood or stone, such as a carpenter or stonemason.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SPALL can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which lists a Richard Spall. This suggests that the name was well-established in the Midlands region of England by the late 13th century.

The SPALL surname is also found in various other historical records from medieval England, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mentions a John Spall from Oxfordshire. Additionally, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1301, where a Robert Spall is listed.

While the name SPALL does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England, its absence does not necessarily negate its antiquity, as many surnames were not consistently recorded in written records until later centuries.

One notable individual bearing the SPALL surname was Sir John Spall (c. 1525-1592), an English lawyer and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was William Spall (1805-1887), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.

Other individuals of note include Thomas Spall (1721-1788), an English clergyman and author, and Richard Spall (1755-1832), a British engineer and inventor who made contributions to the development of early steam engines.

It is worth mentioning that variations in spelling, such as Spell, Spall, and Spaul, were common in earlier centuries due to inconsistent record-keeping and regional dialects. Additionally, the name SPALL may have been derived from place names or other geographic locations, further contributing to its diversity in origin and meaning.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Spall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spall 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 298 Spalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.39x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 298 44.39x
Middlesex 73 1.32x
Essex 42 3.86x
Surrey 38 1.42x
Norfolk 22 2.60x
Lancashire 14 0.21x
Kent 13 0.69x
Warwickshire 13 0.94x
Sussex 9 0.97x
Northumberland 8 0.98x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.94x
Hertfordshire 6 1.58x
Devon 5 0.44x
Staffordshire 5 0.27x
Hampshire 4 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.90x
Cornwall 2 0.32x
Shropshire 2 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 1.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Clement in Suffolk leads with 27 Spalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.26x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Clement 27 158.26x
Westleton 24 1518.99x
Bethnal Green London 20 8.35x
Beccles 18 166.67x
Barking 17 53.41x
Bury St Edmunds St James 17 94.81x
Woodbridge 17 198.14x
Blyford 16 4705.88x
Lambeth 16 3.33x
Debenham 15 672.65x
West Ham 13 5.41x
Bruisyard 11 2444.44x
Aston 10 2.61x
Bromley London 9 7.42x
Yoxford 9 450.00x
Ipswich St Mathew 8 42.53x
Shoreditch London 8 3.35x
Wallsend 8 30.76x
Wenhaston 8 481.93x
Brighton 7 3.73x
Mansfield 7 27.23x
Newington 7 3.44x
Oulton 7 308.37x
Shottisham 7 1346.15x
Stratford St Andrews 7 1944.44x
Deptford St Paul 6 4.14x
Fulwood 6 84.87x
Hackney London 6 1.94x
Holton 6 697.67x
Lexden 6 137.30x
Ufford 6 576.92x
Wickham Market 6 215.83x
Charsfield 5 617.28x
Compton Gifford 5 138.89x
Ellingham 5 781.25x
Framlingham 5 104.82x
Hindley 5 17.93x
Ipswich St Nicholas 5 135.14x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.75x
Maidstone 5 8.93x
Norwich St Michael At 5 101.63x
St Marylebone London 5 1.70x
Stowmarket 5 64.43x
Sutton 5 467.29x
Wangford 5 396.83x
Aldershot 4 10.57x
Bermondsey 4 2.44x
Cheshunt 4 30.12x
Dallinghoo 4 701.75x
Halesworth 4 84.03x
Hasketon 4 439.56x
Hollesley 4 412.37x
Kirton 4 336.13x
Monewden 4 952.38x
St Pancras London 4 0.90x
Swefling 4 727.27x
Birmingham 3 0.65x
Blythburgh 3 193.55x
Bobbington 3 394.74x
Broome 3 309.28x
Lowestoft 3 9.46x
Middleton 3 315.79x
Norwich St Etheldred 3 250.00x
Southwark Christchurch 3 11.61x
St Botolph Aldersgate 3 47.47x
Trimley St Mary 3 379.75x
Waddesdon 3 188.68x
Blundeston 2 148.15x
Camberwell 2 0.57x
Chelmsford 2 10.71x
Great Yarmouth 2 2.85x
Hampton London 2 22.08x
Ipswich St Peter 2 22.12x
Kensington London 2 0.65x
Lewisham 2 1.99x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.30x
Peasenhall 2 122.70x
Portslade 2 35.21x
Tottenham 2 2.28x
Ubbeston 2 555.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 18
Ellen 12
Alice 11
Eliza 11
Emma 11
Annie 8
Harriet 8
Jane 7
Hannah 6
Louisa 6
Ann 5
Anna 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Margaret 4
Martha 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Harriett 3
Laura 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Allice 2
Beatrice 2
Dorcas 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Lousia 2
Matilda 2
Sally 2
Sophia 2
Catherine 1
Chrystable 1
Elizh. 1
Eunice 1
Janice 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kathrine 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
George 27
Charles 20
James 18
John 18
Edward 17
Robert 17
Thomas 13
Frederick 10
Samuel 9
Arthur 8
Albert 7
Alfred 7
David 7
Henry 7
Walter 5
Joseph 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Robt. 3
Abraham 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Richard 2
Benjamin 1
Birtie 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred.C. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Godfrey 1
Horace 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Johan 1
Johnathan 1
Nathaniel 1
Oliver 1
Pauline 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Starling 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wesley 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Spall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 565 people were recorded with the Spall surname. That placed it at #6,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 988 in 2016. That gives Spall a modern rank of #5,859.

What does the Spall surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for "splinter" or "chip," possibly referring to an occupation.

What does the Spall map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Spall 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.