Springall Family History

From Middle English spring(h)ald ‘youth stripling’ in modern parlance ‘teenager’, first recorded in the 15th century but likely to be older. It may also have been used as a personal name. The word is probably related to Old English springan ‘to spring up’.

From Middle English springald, Old French espringalle, and Anglo-Norman French springalde ‘catapult, a siege machine for hurling missiles’, perhaps given to a soldier who operated one in battle. Compare Mangnall (2), which has a similar sense.

The French word is probably a borrowing of a Germanic word with the basic sense ‘that which springs up’ and may be identical in origin with the previous sense mentioned. Some of the post-medieval bearers may belong with this second sense.

From Middle English spornegold ‘spurn gold’, perhaps for someone who despised wealth, though the name may have been used ironically. By metathesis of -r-, Sporngold may have become confused in later times with Springold from the first sense; compare the 1327 Suffolk example.