Explore the Family Name Smalling
The meaning of Smalling
1. English: perhaps from a diminutive of Middle English smal ‘small, little’. Alternatively, perhaps from an Anglicized form of German Schmäling (compare 3 below). 2. English: possibly also a variant of Smallhorne, a nickname apparently from Middle English smal ‘small’ + horn ‘horn’ (Old English smæl + horn). The exact meaning of the name is unclear, though it is possible that horn has the sense ‘penis’, as it appears to have in the surname Whitehorn. 3. Possibly also an Americanized form of German Schmäling (see Schmaling), or of its Dutch equivalent Smaling.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Smalling in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Smalling has seen a slight decrease in rank between 2000 and 2010, moving from position 16,586 to 16,789. However, there was an increase in the count of individuals with this surname in the same period, growing from 1,593 to 1,701. This resulted in a modest popularity growth of 6.78%, but the proportion per 100,000 people slightly decreased by 1.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,586 | #16,789 | -1.22% |
| Count | 1,593 | 1,701 | 6.78% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.59 | 0.58 | -1.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Smalling
The ethnic identity associated with the Smalling surname also shifted over the decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Smallings identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, two or more races, Hispanic, and Black saw notable increases. The largest increase was within the Hispanic community, which grew by 71.97%. Black Smallings increased by 27.72%, while Asian/Pacific Islanders and those of two or more races saw rises of 47.73% and 18.49%, respectively. Conversely, the percentage of Smallings who identified as White decreased by 6.42%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native reduced by 49.28%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.61% | 76.37% | -6.42% |
| Black | 14.5% | 18.52% | 27.72% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.7% | 71.97% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.41% | 18.49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.65% | 47.73% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.69% | 0.35% | -49.28% |