Find out how popular the last name Spanks is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Spanks.

Spanks, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Spanks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spanks in America

Spanks is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spanks surname appeared 169 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Spanks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spanks to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Spanks

The surname Spanks originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "spank," which referred to a thin piece of wood or a small strip of land. This suggests that the name may have been associated with those who lived near or worked with wood or forestry.

One of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where a John Spanks was recorded as a resident in 1593. Further records indicate that the Spanks family had a presence in the county of Norfolk, with a Thomas Spanks mentioned in the manorial records of Great Yarmouth in 1624.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, with records showing a William Spanks born in Staffordshire in 1638 and a Robert Spanks baptized in the village of Bideford, Devon, in 1672.

The Spanks surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Spanks Bridge in Lancashire and Spanks Lane in Cheshire. These place names may have influenced the spread and adoption of the surname in these regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Spanks include:

1. John Spanks (c. 1560-1630), an English merchant and landowner from Norfolk.
2. Elizabeth Spanks (1675-1745), a notable philanthropist from Gloucestershire who established a trust for the education of underprivileged children.
3. Thomas Spanks (1712-1789), a prominent farmer and landowner from Yorkshire.
4. William Spanks (1820-1892), a British engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of early steam engines.
5. Charlotte Spanks (1865-1944), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, born in Liverpool.

While the Spanks surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left its mark on various aspects of British history, from trade and agriculture to engineering and social reform.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spanks

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Spanks.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Spanks was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Spanks has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Spanks was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Spanks, please contact us.

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