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Spen Family History

Spen Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Shen, Span, Sen, Aspen, Suen, Pen, Sien, Speno, Spens, Sten

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Spen family from?

You can see how Spen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Spen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Spen family living in Devon. This was about 50% of all the recorded Spen's in United Kingdom. Devon and 1 other county had the highest population of Spen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Spen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Spen. 100% of Spen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Spen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Spen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Spen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spen

Passenger Lists

There are 177 immigration records available for the last name Spen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Spen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 996 military records available for the last name Spen. For the veterans among your Spen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spen family history

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What is the average Spen lifespan?

Between 1975 and 1997, in the United States, Spen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Spen in 1975 was 56, and 78 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Spen family tree

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