2000
#112,365
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Spelce
An English surname derived from the Old English words "spelc" meaning splinter or chip.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Spelce. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Spelce surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Spelce in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Spelce, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Spelce
The surname Spelce originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Derbyshire. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "spelca," meaning a splinter or chip, suggesting that the name may have been an occupational name for someone who worked with wood or made splints.
Historical records indicate that the earliest known bearer of the name was one William Spelce, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire in 1203. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is recorded as Spelhche.
One notable individual bearing the Spelce surname was Sir John Spelce (c. 1420-1487), a prominent landowner and knight who served as Sheriff of Derbyshire during the reign of King Henry VI. He was also a member of the Parliament of England and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.
Another early recorded instance of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1524, which lists a Thomas Spelce as a taxpayer in the parish of Ashbourne.
In the 16th century, the surname appears to have spread beyond Derbyshire, with records showing individuals named Spelce residing in neighboring counties such as Staffordshire and Cheshire. One notable figure from this period was Robert Spelce (1550-1621), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
During the 17th century, the Spelce family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in various parts of England. One notable member was Sir Edward Spelce (1622-1689), a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire during the reign of King Charles II.
By the 18th century, the surname had spread even further, with records showing individuals named Spelce residing in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Warwickshire. One notable figure from this period was Reverend Samuel Spelce (1705-1784), a clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Eccleshall in Staffordshire.
Throughout history, the surname Spelce has undergone various spelling variations, including Spelhche, Spelch, Spelche, and Spelsh, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Spelce
Among Census respondents with the surname Spelce, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Spelce bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Spelce surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 106
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Spelce
Spelce appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-14 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,460 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-21 bearers (-16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,621 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,365 | 145 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 17,460 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-16.0%) | Down 19,621 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Spelce surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #129,825 | #149,446 | -15.1% |
| Count | 131 | 110 | -16.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Spelce bearers went from 131 to 110 (-16.0% change). The surname moved down 19,621 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #149,446.
FAQ
Spelce surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Spelce?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Spelce. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Spelce?
Spelce ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Spelce. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Spelce.
Has Spelce become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Spelce went from 131 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 21 (-16.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Spelce?
Among Census respondents with the surname Spelce, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Spelce in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Spelce appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Spelce (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Spelce mean?
An English surname derived from the Old English words "spelc" meaning splinter or chip. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Spelce (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Spelce?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.