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Spenceley Family History

Spenceley Surname Meaning

Probably as suggested in Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames, a variant of Spendley in which the consonant cluster /ndl/ has become pronounced /nsl/. Spendley is itself a variant of Spendlow alias Spendlove.

Redmonds provides circumstantial evidence from York Guild Register where Thomas Spensley (1477) can be compared with Walter Spenlowe (1433) and Elizabeth Spendlay (1522).

Further evidence appears in IGI data for Oswaldkirk (NR Yorks) where Johanne Spenclay (1547) is possibly identical with John Spenlay (1550) and in IGI data for Bishopwearmouth (Durham): Tho. Spenley (1648) and Richard Spencley (1651).

The same developments occurred outside N England. Compare Henry Spendelowe 1309 in Subsidy Rolls (Beds) with William Spendley 1569, Thomas Spenley 1571, and John Spensly 1611 in IGI (Bedford Beds).

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


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Where is the Spenceley family from?

You can see how Spenceley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spenceley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Spenceley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 131 Spenceley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 52% of all the recorded Spenceley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Spenceley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spenceley 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 Spenceley 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 Spenceley. 22% of Spenceley men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Spenceley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spenceley were Agricultural Joiner and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Spenceley | 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
    22%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Motor Driver
    15%
  • Agricultural Joiner
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Household Duties
    2%

What Spenceley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Spenceley

Passenger Lists

There are 667 immigration records available for the last name Spenceley. 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 Spenceley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 451 military records available for the last name Spenceley. For the veterans among your Spenceley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Spenceley family history

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What is the average Spenceley lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Spenceley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Spenceley in 1964 was 75, and 47 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spenceley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spenceley 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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