The Sperling surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,224 people carried this name — #7,841 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 69,900 people counted. That is down 1% from 4,274 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sperling surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Spirling’.

An early record he cites: Geoffrey Spirling, Norfolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Sperling, Sperlings, Spilling, Spillings, Spurling and Spillin.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 707 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

306 people named Sperling have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 375 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Greater Poland.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Greater Poland 101
Silesian 63
Lower Silesian 32
Pomeranian 31
Opole 27
Łódź 25
Masovian 17
Lesser Poland 8

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 166 people named Sperling live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 73
Santa Fe 41
City of Buenos Aires 30
Misiones 22

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

66 people named Sperling live in Switzerland.

They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Bern.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Bern 19
Zurich 15
Aargau 10
Lucerne 6
Fribourg 5
St. Gallen 4
Schwyz 4
Basel-Stadt 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 40 people named Sperling.

17 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Moselle.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 17
Moselle 10
Paris 5
Bas-Rhin 2
Haut-Rhin 1
Nord 1
Tarn 1
Vosges 1
Val-d’Oise 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

97 people named Sperling is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 97

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Sperling in American newspapers,
1891.

Newspaper page from The Chieftain carrying the name Sperling
The Chieftain 1891-12-18
Newspaper page from The Chieftain carrying the name Sperling
The Chieftain 1891-11-27
Newspaper page from The Chieftain carrying the name Sperling
The Chieftain 1891-12-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 21,770 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sperling in Australian newspapers,
1850s–2000s.

5,629 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sperling. The most, 2,590, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,120
Queensland 1,495
Victoria 1,230
Western Australia 309
South Australia 210
Tasmania 190
ACT (Canberra) 63
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sperling.

Who carried it

People named Sperling,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Edith Harriet Sperling d. 1959
  • Henry Grace Wilson Sperling d. 1879
  • Henry Maitland Sperling d. 1951
  • Elizabeth Sperling d. 1854
  • Maria Sperling d. 1639
  • Johann Sperling d. 1941

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sperling,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,623 records

1,623 records of the Sperling name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 694
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 471
  • Other U.S. records 458
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James E. Sperling

    Born 1922 in Ohio. Enlisted 1942 at Toledo; electrician from Lucas County. U.S. Army veteran; died 2000, buried at Highland Memory Gardens, Waterville, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Cippe Sperling

    Arrived at New York in 1907 aboard the Pretoria from Hamburg, aged 18; house maid. From Dwinsk, Russia; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Wesley William Sperling

    Born 1946; from Arlington, Nebraska. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Kontum, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,623 records for Sperling in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Germany1,289 records

1,289 records of the Sperling name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 1,277
  • German emigration and citizenship files 11
  • German estate files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Willi Sperling

    Born 1890; from Berlin. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 5 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 423).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Karl Ludwig Sperling

    Emigrated to North America in 1868.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Heinrich Sperling

    Estate settled at Kötzschau in 1795.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Sachsen-Anhalt (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,289 records for Sperling in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands659 records

659 records of the Sperling name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 380
  • Dutch population registers 238
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 41
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record IJsbrand Sperling

    Married in 1891 in Den Helder; gunner. Died 1941 in Bloemendaal, aged 74.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Sperling

    Married in 1833 in Leeuwarden. Died 1875 in Leeuwarden, aged 74.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maarten Sperling

    Married in 1927 in Hoek van Holland. Died 1942 in Rotterdam, aged 37.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 659 records for Sperling in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia78 records

78 records of the Sperling name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 30
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 24
  • Other Australian records 24
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Sperling

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Hohenzollern, aged 25; German.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Frederick Sperling

    Farmer of Tongala, Victoria; died 1947.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record James B. Sperling

    Of Annandale, New South Wales; died 1917.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 78 records for Sperling in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France15 records

15 records of the Sperling name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lorenz Sperling

    Born 1925 in Germany; died 1997 in Angers (Maine-et-Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Louise Flore Sperling

    Born 1907 in Thann; died 1991 in Riedisheim (Haut-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Eberhard Sperling

    Born 1933 in Germany; died 2001 in Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 15 records for Sperling in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Canada9 records

9 records of the Sperling name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 6
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Nettie Joyce Sperling

    Buried in 1975 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 68.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Elsa Sperling

    Buried in 1987 at Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo, Ontario.

    Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Paul Sperling

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 9 records for Sperling in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Norway1 record

1 record of the Sperling name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Susanne Sperling

    Census of 1910: Nils Juelsgate, Kristiania; born 1890 in Germany.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sperling.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sperling is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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