SPINDLER
Spindler is a German occupational surname that originally identified a person who engaged in the spinning of thread or yarn. It is derived from the Middle High German word spindel, meaning “spindle”, the tool used for winding fibres into thread.
The earliest documentary uses of the name appear in both England and Germany during the thirteenth century. In England it is first recorded as William le Spinlere in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1236, and later as William le Spindlere in the Duchy of Cornwall accounts of 1296. In Germany the name is first attested in 1279 as Adilhais Spindlerine of Luachringen.
Over time the surname acquired a number of alternate spellings, including Spengler, Spangler, Spinder, Spindor and Espindola. Regional dialects produced further variations such as Spindeler, Spindele, Spindelmann and Spintler. These forms are found in parts of Bavaria, Swabia and southern Germany, and among emigrant communities worldwide.
Geographically the name remains most common in German‑speaking countries. It is widespread in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and has spread to other European nations such as the Czech Republic, England, Ireland and northern France. In the United States the surname is distributed across the country, with notable concentrations in Wisconsin and the Midwest, reflecting 19th‑century German immigration. It has also been recorded in South America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.
Socially the name originally signified a member of the lower social classes, often a household servant tasked with spinning. The transition of the name into a hereditary surname occurred after the fourteenth century, when sons frequently inherited the occupation of their fathers.
Notable contemporary bearers include American anthropologist Clark W. Spindler and professional snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, although the surname is still relatively uncommon in modern records.
Typical given names associated with the Spindler surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Martin
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Thomas
Female
- Ailsa
- Angela
- Annette
- Helen
- Ingrid
- Jane
- Joanne
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Sandra
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Spindler in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 733 people named Spindler in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,354th most common surname in Britain. Around 11 in a million people in Britain are named Spindler.
