Surname Spaetling - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Spaetling: What does the surname Spaetling mean?
The last name Spaetling (also spelt Spatling) originates from Germany and is of origin from the aristocratic house of Billung. The derivation of the name appears to have evolved from the ancient German personal name ‘Spato’, meaning ‘sharp- pointed object’. The suffix '-ling' was then added to denote a descendant of the Billung family.
The Billung family were renowned throughout Europe during the medieval period of the Middle Ages and also experienced a resurgence of power and influence during the 16th and 17th centuries, when members of the House of Billung held many important posts throughout the territories of Germany, such as the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg.
Many Spaetlings will find that their ancestral lines can be traced back to these lands and some may even be able to trace them back to the original Chieftan of the House of Billung, namely Otto Billung who was appointed i 1135 at the court of Emperor Lothar.
Today, anyone with the surname Spaetling can be proud of their ancestral origins, and should appreciate its illustrious past, which reaches back to the powerful and esteemed house of Billung.
Order DNA origin analysisSpaetling: Where does the name Spaetling come from?
The last name Spaetling is most common today in Germany and Austria, where it was first found in historical records. It is also found in small numbers in the United States.
In Germany, the name is most prominent in the northern area of the country, typically around the city of Hamburg and other Northern German states such as Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Niedersachsen. However, there are also some records of the same surname in southern Germany, near the Rhine-Main area.
In Austria, the name can also be found, though its presence is much less common than in Germany. Most of the Spaetling records from Austria are found in Vienna and other major cities such as Graz and Salzburg.
In the United States, the name is generally quite rare although it has some presence in areas with higher German populations, such as Western New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In all, the Spaetling name is most common in Germany and Austria with considerably smaller populations in the United States.
Variations of the surname Spaetling
The surname Spaetling is a German surname derived from the old five name system, where a child would often take the first name of their father's father, followed by the father's first name. In this system, Spaetling likely stems from the elements "Spat" or "Spaet," meaning "late" or "tardy," and "Ling" meaning "pertaining to a certain people or area." Examples of variants, spellings, and surnames with the same origin include:
Spaethling, Spatling, Spating, Speatling, Spetling, Spetton, Speatton, Spatten, Speetling, Spitten, Spottling, Spoting, Spollen, Spollin, Spotling, Spaltling, Speitling, Speettel, Spottel, and Spotel.
In other European countries, similar variations of this surname can be seen. For example, in the Netherlands, the surname would be “Spaetem” or "Spaetter" whereas in England, "Spedding" or "Spedling" are seen.
The surname "Spaetling" has also been anglicized and popularized in the United States as "Spalding." However, the original German spelling is still seen in certain records, and its variants can be found throughout the United States and England.
In some cases, the surname Spaetling may also be encountered in records with the ending -heimer or -er, in the form "Spatlinger" or "Spatenhimer". This indicates possible family ties, and it is thought that these records show ancestral links stretching back to the same origins and area in Germany.
Overall, the spelling of this surname has changed over the years, but it is most likely derived from the elements "Spat" and "Ling." Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin can be found in Germany, the Netherlands, England, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Spaetling
- Hans Spaetling: German Olympic athlete who competed in the 1928 Summer Games in Amsterdam
- Dieter Spaetling: German journalist and editor-in-chief of the German news magazine Der Spiegel
- Jrgen Spaetling: German film director, screenwriter, and producer
- Michael Spaetling: German author and underwater photographer
- Yvonne Spaetling: German artist specializing in oil paintings of horses
- Markus Spaetling: German boxer and 10th world amateur boxing champion
- Maria Spaetling: Austrian alpine skier who competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics
- Philipp Spaetling: Austrian ski mountaineer
- Rudi Spaetling: Austrian football coach
- Katja Spaetling: German television actress