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Spensley Family History

Spensley Surname Meaning

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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.
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What did your Spensley ancestors do for a living?

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.

View Census Data for Spensley | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    21%
  • Retired
    21%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Colliery Blacksmith
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    87%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    2%

What Spensley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Spensley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spensley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spensley

Passenger Lists

There are 719 immigration records available for the last name Spensley. 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 Spensley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 461 military records available for the last name Spensley. For the veterans among your Spensley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spensley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spensley family history

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What is the average Spensley lifespan?

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.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spensley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spensley 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.

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