Explore the Family Name Spells
The meaning of Spells
1. English: perhaps a variant of Spauls, itself a variant of Spall, with post-medieval excrescent -s. 2. Perhaps also an altered form of German Spell.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Spells in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Spells" has seen a slight increase from 2000 to 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 13,925th, but by 2010, it had moved up to the 13,569th position, marking a positive change of 2.56%. The count of individuals with this last name also grew from 1,987 in 2000 to 2,235 in 2010, representing a growth rate of 12.48%. This indicates that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 0.76 had the surname "Spells" in 2010, compared to 0.74 in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,925 | #13,569 | 2.56% |
| Count | 1,987 | 2,235 | 12.48% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.74 | 0.76 | 2.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Spells
The ethnicity associated with the surname "Spells" experienced some changes between 2000 and 2010 as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. It was primarily associated with the Black community, accounting for 75.94% in 2000 and 75.70% in 2010, showing a marginal decrease of 0.32%. The percentage of those identifying as White decreased from 19.88% in 2000 to 18.39% in 2010. However, those identifying with two or more races saw an increase from 2.21% to 3.27%. There was also a notable increase within the Hispanic community, from 1.61% in 2000 to 2.42% in 2010. The surname did not have any recorded connections with Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 75.94% | 75.7% | -0.32% |
| White | 19.88% | 18.39% | -7.49% |
| Two or More Races | 2.21% | 3.27% | 47.96% |
| Hispanic | 1.61% | 2.42% | 50.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |