Springfield (toponym)

Springfield is a famously common place-name in the English-speaking world, especially in the United States. According to the U.S. Geological Survey there are currently 93 populated places named Springfield in the United States.[1] Database studies reveal that there are several more common U.S. place-names than Springfield, including Fairview and Midway.

History

Historically, the first American place named Springfield was Springfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1636 by William Pynchon, an early American colonist. Pynchon named Springfield after his hometown in England, Springfield, Essex. Springfield, Massachusetts, became nationally important in 1777, when George Washington founded the United States' National Armory at Springfield. During the 19th century, Springfield became one of the world's leading centers of the Industrial Revolution, pioneering advances in interchangeable parts. Springfield, Illinois and Springfield, Missouri, among other American cities and towns named Springfield, were named after Springfield, Massachusetts.

Major centers

As of the 2020 census, Springfield, Missouri, and Springfield, Massachusetts, were the world's most populous cities named Springfield, with 169,176 and 155,929 residents, respectively. Springfield, Illinois, the one-time home of Abraham Lincoln, is the only U.S. state capital with the name. As of 2020, it had a population of 114,394.

In the United States, there are four Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri and Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the most populous was the one in Massachusetts, which had 699,162 residents.

In contemporary culture

The television show The Simpsons is set in a town generically named "Springfield", without indicating a state. Creator Matt Groening has suggested in interviews that he chose the name because of its ubiquity; the show's intentionally contradictory information about the location of the town prevents matching the fictional Springfield to a real one. Groening revealed in 2012 the town referred to Springfield, Oregon, which is close to his hometown of Portland.[2]

A "Springfield" was also the setting of the early 1950s radio and television program, Father Knows Best, as well as the 1950s soap opera The Guiding Light, which continued as the CBS soap opera Guiding Light through 2009.

Locations named Springfield

Incorporated Urban Municipalities
Name Country State Population (2020)[3]
Springfield USA Missouri 169,176
Springfield USA Massachusetts 155,929
Springfield USA Illinois 141,394
Springfield USA Oregon 61,851
Springfield USA Ohio 58,662
Springfield USA Tennessee 18,782
Springfield Township, Union County USA New Jersey 17,178
Springfield USA Florida 8,075
Springfield USA Michigan 5,292
Springfield Township, Burlington County USA New Jersey 3,245
Springfield USA Kentucky 2,846
Springfield USA Georgia 2,703
Springfield USA Minnesota 2,027
Springfield USA South Dakota 1,914
Springfield USA Colorado 1,325
Springfield USA South Carolina 455
Springfield USA Louisiana 427
Incorporated Rural Municipalities
Name Country State/Province Population (2021)[3][4][5]
Rural Municipality of Springfield Canada Manitoba 16,142
Springfield Australia Tasmania 224
Unincorporated Municipalities[3]
Name Country State Population (2020/21)[6]
Springfield Canada Ontario 761
Springfield USA Arkansas 223
Springfield USA California -
Springfield, Kings County Canada New Brunswick -
Springfield Canada Nova Scotia -
Springfield USA Texas -
Neighborhoods
Name City Country State
Springfield/Belmont Newark USA New Jersey
Springfield Gardens New York City USA New York

See also

References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS FAQ, 12. What is the most frequently occurring community (city, town, village, etc.) name in the United States?
  2. ^ ""The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening reveals location of Springfield". CBS News.
  3. ^ a b c Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". Census.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-31. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-02-09). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  5. ^ "2021 Springfield (Tas.), Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  6. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-02-09). "Add/Remove data - Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
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