History of your Surname
Get access to Spelman family records.Start a free trial

Spelman Family History

Spelman Name Meaning

English and Irish (Galway): variant of Spellman and Spillman .

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


Similar surnames: Spellman, Sellman, Speelman, Selman, Stedman, Shelman, Seeman

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Spelman family from?

You can see how Spelman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spelman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spelman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 81 Spelman families living in Norfolk. This was about 30% of all the recorded Spelman's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Spelman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spelman 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 Spelman 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 Spelman. 28% of Spelman men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Spelman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spelman were Barman and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Spelman | 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
    28%
  • General Agricultural Labourer
    19%
  • Market Garden Labourer
    19%
  • Barman
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • House Duties
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Spelman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Spelman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spelman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spelman

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Spelman. 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 Spelman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Spelman. For the veterans among your Spelman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spelman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spelman family history

Discover More

What is the average Spelman lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Spelman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Spelman in 1954 was 44, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spelman

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Spelman family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Spelman last name

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