This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Spendley family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Spendley Family History

Spendley Surname Meaning

The variant of Spendlow is noted as Spendlove. For the change in pronunciation, one can compare Henry Spendelowe from 1309 in Subsidy Rolls (Beds) with William Spendley from 1569 and William Spenley from 1575 in IGI (Bedford, Beds).

Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames also provides comparisons, such as Walter Spendeluf from 1415 and Walter Spenlowe from 1433 in York Guild Register, alongside Elizabeth Spendlay from 1522 in the same register.

Moreover, it juxtaposes Robert Spendlove from 1301 in Subsidy Rolls (Boltby, NR Yorks) with Thomas Spenley from 1557 in York Registry Wills (Thornton in Pickering Lythe, NR Yorks).

The name was once particularly common in Lincolnshire, where it mainly appears as Spindley in 188.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Spendley family from?

You can see how Spendley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spendley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Spendley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 18 Spendley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Spendley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Spendley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spendley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Spendley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener Heavy Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Spendley. 50% of Spendley men worked as a Gardener Heavy Worker and 92% of Spendley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spendley were Boot Machanist and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Spendley | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Gardener Heavy Worker
    50%
  • Boot Machanist
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    92%
  • Household Duties
    8%

What Spendley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Spendley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spendley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spendley

Passenger Lists

There are 212 immigration records available for the last name Spendley. 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 Spendley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 143 military records available for the last name Spendley. For the veterans among your Spendley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spendley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spendley family history

Discover More

What is the average Spendley lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Spendley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1985, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Spendley in 1965 was 72, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spendley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spendley 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 Spendley family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial