English (Durham and Yorkshire): probably a variant of Spendley itself a variant of Spendlove in which the consonant cluster /ndl/ has become pronounced /nsl/.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.
Where is the Spensley family from?
You can see how Spensley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spensley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Spensley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 159 Spensley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 46% of all the recorded Spensley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Spensley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spensley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Spensley. 21% of Spensley men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 87% of Spensley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spensley were Colliery Blacksmith and Unpaid Domestic Dut. .
Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Spensley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Spensley in 1964 was 79, and 66 in 2004.