Poling
A surname with several possible origins, most likely from a nickname or altered spelling rather than a single clear source.
The #4,558 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,690 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Poling is not clearly explained by the excerpts provided, which only list it among similar-looking names and do not give a direct derivation. In English surname studies, forms like this can sometimes come from a place name, a personal name, or a reduced spelling of another surname, but the evidence here is too thin to choose one confidently. The ending -ing is common in English names and can signal descent, association, or simply be part of a later spelling form.
History
The name appears in U.S. records today and is not especially common. The historical excerpts place it among a cluster of surnames with similar shapes, suggesting that spelling variation may have played a role in its development. Without a direct dictionary entry, its early history remains uncertain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the historical sources only mention Poling in passing, the surname’s origin is a good example of how some family names resist a single neat explanation.
From the historical record
“Poling Porning Puning”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)