# Springfield (toponym)

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Springfield_(toponym)
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Springfield_(toponym).md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_(toponym)
> Source revision: 1354841159
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Common place-name in the United States}}
{{multiple issues|
{{one source|date=July 2013}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2013}}
}}
thumb|right|US States and territories with one or more populated places named Springfield.
'''Springfield''' is a famously common place-name in the [English-speaking world](/source/English-speaking_world), especially in the United States. According to the [U.S. Geological Survey](/source/U.S._Geological_Survey) there are currently 93 [populated place](/source/populated_place)s named Springfield in the [United States](/source/U.S._state).<ref>[https://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/faqs.htm USGS GNIS FAQ], 12. What is the most frequently occurring community (city, town, village, etc.) name in the United States?</ref>  Database studies reveal that there are several more common U.S. place-names than Springfield, including [Fairview](/source/Fairview_(disambiguation)) and [Midway](/source/Midway_(disambiguation)).

==History==
Historically, the first American place named Springfield was [Springfield, Massachusetts](/source/Springfield%2C_Massachusetts), founded in 1636 by [William Pynchon](/source/William_Pynchon), an English colonist. Pynchon named Springfield after his hometown in England, [Springfield, Essex](/source/Springfield%2C_Essex). Springfield, Massachusetts, became nationally important in 1777, when [George Washington](/source/George_Washington) founded the United States' [National Armory at Springfield](/source/Springfield_Armory). During the 19th century, Springfield became one of the world's leading centers of the [Industrial Revolution](/source/Industrial_Revolution), pioneering advances in [interchangeable parts](/source/interchangeable_parts). [Springfield, Illinois](/source/Springfield%2C_Illinois) and [Springfield, Missouri](/source/Springfield%2C_Missouri), among other American cities and towns named Springfield, were named after Springfield, Massachusetts.

==Major centers==
As of the [2020 census](/source/2020_United_States_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](/source/Abraham_Lincoln), is the only U.S. state [capital](/source/capital_(political)) with the name.  As of 2020, it had a population of 114,394.

In the United States, there are four Springfield [Metropolitan Statistical Area](/source/Metropolitan_Statistical_Area)s 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](/source/television) show ''[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)'' is set in a town generically named "[Springfield](/source/Springfield_(The_Simpsons))", without indicating a state. Creator [Matt Groening](/source/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](/source/Springfield_(The_Simpsons)). Groening revealed in 2012 the town referred to [Springfield, Oregon](/source/Springfield%2C_Oregon), which is close to his hometown of [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-simpsons-creator-matt-groening-reveals-location-of-springfield/|title="The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening reveals location of Springfield|website=[CBS News](/source/CBS_News)}}</ref>

A "Springfield" was also the setting of the early 1950s [radio](/source/radio) and television program, ''[Father Knows Best](/source/Father_Knows_Best)'', as well as the 1950s [soap opera](/source/soap_opera) ''[The Guiding Light](/source/The_Guiding_Light)'', which continued as the [CBS](/source/CBS) soap opera ''[Guiding Light](/source/Guiding_Light)'' through 2009.

== Locations named Springfield ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Incorporated Urban Municipalities
!Name
!Country
!State
!Population (2020)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html|website=Census.gov|access-date=2026-01-31|language=en|first=US Census|last=Bureau}}</ref>
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Missouri)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Missouri}}
|169,176
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Massachusetts)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Massachusetts}}
|155,929
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Illinois)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Illinois}}
|141,394
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Oregon)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Oregon}}
|61,851
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Ohio)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Ohio}}
|58,662
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Tennessee)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Tennessee}}
|18,782
|-
|[Springfield Township, Union County](/source/Springfield_Township%2C_Union_County%2C_New_Jersey)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|New Jersey}}
|17,178
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Florida)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Florida}}
|8,075
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Michigan)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Michigan}}
|5,292
|-
|[Springfield Township, Burlington County](/source/Springfield_Township%2C_Burlington_County%2C_New_Jersey)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|New Jersey}}
|3,245
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Kentucky)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Kentucky}}
|2,846
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Georgia)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Georgia (U.S. state)|name=Georgia}}
|2,703
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Minnesota)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Minnesota}}
|2,027
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_South_Dakota)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|South Dakota}}
|1,914
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Colorado)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Colorado}}
|1,325
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_South_Carolina)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|South Carolina}}
|455
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Louisiana)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Louisiana}}
|427
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Incorporated Rural Municipalities
!Name
!Country
!State/Province
!Population (2021)<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202|website=www150.statcan.gc.ca|date=2022-02-09|access-date=2026-01-31|first=Statistics Canada|last=Government of Canada}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2021 Springfield (Tas.), Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL60630|website=www.abs.gov.au|access-date=2026-01-31}}</ref>
|-
|[Rural Municipality of Springfield](/source/Rural_Municipality_of_Springfield)
|{{Flag|Canada}}
|{{Flag|Manitoba}}
|16,142
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Tasmania)
|{{Flag|Australia}}
|{{Flag|Tasmania}}
|224
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Unincorporated Municipalities<ref name=":0" />
!Name
!Country
!State
!Population (2020/21)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Add/Remove data - Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=9810001201|website=www150.statcan.gc.ca|date=2022-02-09|access-date=2026-01-31|first=Statistics Canada|last=Government of Canada}}</ref>
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Ontario)
|{{Flag|Canada}}
|{{Flag|Ontario}}
|761
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Arkansas)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Arkansas}}
|223
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_California)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|California}}
| -
|-
|[Springfield, Kings County](/source/Springfield%2C_Kings_County%2C_New_Brunswick)
|{{Flag|Canada}}
|{{Flag|New Brunswick}}
| -
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Nova_Scotia)
|{{Flag|Canada}}
|{{Flag|Nova Scotia}}
| -
|-
|[Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Texas)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|Texas}}
| -
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Neighborhoods
!Name
!City
!Country
!State
|-
|[Springfield/Belmont](/source/Springfield%2FBelmont%2C_Newark%2C_New_Jersey)
|[Newark](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|New Jersey}}
|-
|[Springfield Gardens](/source/Springfield_Gardens%2C_Queens)
|[New York City](/source/New_York_City)
|{{Flag|USA}}
|{{Flag|New York}}
|}

==See also==
*[Springfield (disambiguation)](/source/Springfield_(disambiguation))

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://springfield.ftldesign.com/ Website with a list of many Springfields], illustrated by postcards.

Category:1636 establishments in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Category:1636 beginnings
Category:City names

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Springfield (toponym)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_(toponym)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_(toponym)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.