Span Family History

Span Surname Meaning

German: metonymic occupational name for a carpenter, a variant of Spahn. German: nickname for a quarrelsome person, a variant of Spann. Slovenian (Špan): from špan, a feudal status name for a serf chosen by an overlord to oversee other serfs and villeins working on the overlord's estate. This was also a status name for a village headman.

The word in both senses is ultimately derived from Slovenian/Slavic župan (see Zupan). Slovenian (Špan): nickname from archaic špan ‘fellow, companion’, also ‘sweetheart’, a word of German (Bavarian) origin.

Czech (Špán): nickname for a thin man from špán ‘wood chip’, a dialect word of German origin (see). Slovak and Rusyn (from Slovakia) (Špan): historical status name from a Slavicized form of Hungarian ispán (itself a derivative of Slavic župan; see Zupan).

In old Hungary, ispán was a title denoting the highest royal official standing at the head of the manor. Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname or artificial name from German Span ‘wood chip’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Pan, Spahn, Supan, Swan, Shan, Spann, Spang, Ban, Bean, Sand

12K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
3K	Military Records
1K	Immigration Records
11K	Census and Voter Lists
8K	Member Trees

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Where is the Span family from?

You can see how Span families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Span family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Span families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 16 Span families living in London. This was about 33% of all the recorded Span's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Span families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Span 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 Span ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Private means was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Span.

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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.

Private means

100%

What Span family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 11K census records available for the last name Span. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Span census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger List

There are 1K immigration records available for the last name Span. 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.

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Military Records

There are 3K military records available for the last name Span. For the veterans among your Span ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Span lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Span life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Span in 1945 was 39, and 74 in 2004.

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Span Surname Meaning

In old Hungary, ispán was a title denoting the highest royal official standing at the head of the manor. Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname or artificial name from German Span ‘wood chip’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Where is the Span family from?

What did your Span ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Private means was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Span.

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.

Private means

100%

What Span family records will you find?

What is the average Span lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Span life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Span in 1945 was 39, and 74 in 2004.

Span Family History

Span Surname Meaning

37,000 record(s) for Span

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

Where is the Span family from?

What did your Span ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Span family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Span family history

What is the average Span lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Span family tree

Search for another surname

Span Surname Meaning

37,000 record(s) for Span

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

Where is the Span family from?

What did your Span ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Span family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Span family history

What is the average Span lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Span family tree

Search for another surname