Explore the Family Name Spring
The meaning of Spring
1. English: nickname for a young man, from Middle English, Old English spring ‘young growth’. The word is first recorded in the 16th century, but is quite likely much older. Compare Springett. 2. English: topographic name from Middle English, Old English spring, used for someone who lived by a plantation of young trees or (less often) a spring of water. 3. German and Danish: from Middle High German sprinc, Middle Low German sprink ‘spring, well’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a spring or well, or a habitational name from Springe near Hanover. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Spring ‘spring, well’ (compare 3 above). History: John Spring emigrated from England and settled in Watertown, MA, in 1634.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Spring in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Spring" has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 3,794th most common surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 4,053rd position, marking a 6.83% decrease in its ranking. However, interestingly, the actual count of people carrying this surname increased over the same period. There were 8,579 individuals with the surname "Spring" in 2000, and the number rose to 8,757 by 2010, showing a growth rate of 2.07%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,794 | #4,053 | -6.83% |
| Count | 8,579 | 8,757 | 2.07% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.18 | 2.97 | -6.6% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Spring
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Spring" also experienced shifts from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic saw significant increases of 65.31% and 71.87%, respectively. Similarly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 6.48%. However, the percentage of people identifying as White and Black decreased slightly by 0.94% and 17.91% respectively. Meanwhile, the representation of those who identify with two or more races remained relatively stable with a slight increase of 1.72%. This diverse range of ethnic identities reflects the evolving demographic landscape of the United States, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.07% | 90.21% | -0.94% |
| Black | 4.02% | 3.3% | -17.91% |
| Hispanic | 1.6% | 2.75% | 71.87% |
| Two or More Races | 1.74% | 1.77% | 1.72% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.08% | 1.15% | 6.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.81% | 65.31% |
Spring ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Spring is British & Irish, which comprises 47.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.2%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (5.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Chinese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.4% |
| French & German | 26.2% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 5.5% |
| Other | 20.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Spring
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Spring have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
What Spring haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Spring is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and J-Z631, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hartman, Rea, Keller, Gallo, Harrison, North, Miller, West, Bennett, Allen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Spring surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Spring have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Spring" Surname 28.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Spring" Surname 37.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Spring" Surname 21.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Spring" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Spring?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Spring are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition