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 Spence family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Spence Family History

Spence Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: nickname for a servant employed in the pantry of a great house or monastery from Middle English spense spence ‘pantry larder storeroom’

(Old French despense from a Late Latin derivative of dispendere past participle dispensus ‘to weigh out or dispense’).

Compare Spencer.

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


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 Spence family from?

You can see how Spence families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spence family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spence families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,026 Spence families living in Yorkshire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Spence's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Spence families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spence 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 Spence ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Spence. 8% of Spence men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Spence women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spence were Joiner and Private Means.

View Census Data for Spence | 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

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Joiner
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Spence family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 323,000 census records available for the last name Spence. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spence census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spence

Passenger Lists

There are 47,000 immigration records available for the last name Spence. 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 Spence immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 42,000 military records available for the last name Spence. For the veterans among your Spence ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spence military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spence family history

Discover More

What is the average Spence lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Spence life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Spence in 1940 was 35, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spence

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

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