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

Spence, 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 Spence surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spence in America

Spence is the 964th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spence surname appeared 36,129 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Spence.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spence 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 Spence

The surname Spence is of English origin, deriving from the Middle English word "spense" or the Old French word "despense," both of which mean "a place where provisions are stored" or "a pantry." It is believed that the name initially referred to someone who worked in a household pantry or as a steward responsible for managing provisions.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Spence can be traced back to the 13th century in various English records. One notable mention is in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which includes the name William le Spenser. The Hundred Rolls were a series of inquests conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I, documenting landholders and their holdings.

In the 14th century, the surname Spence appeared in various spellings, including Spencer, Spenser, and Spenser. One of the most famous individuals bearing this name was Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343 – 1400), the renowned English poet and author of "The Canterbury Tales." He was also known as Geoffrey Spenser or Spenser, highlighting the interchangeable use of the name during that period.

Another notable figure from the 14th century was Henry Spenser (c. 1368 – 1419), an English bishop who served as Bishop of Norwich from 1370 to 1406. He played a significant role in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 and was known for his military leadership during the uprising.

In the 16th century, the poet Edmund Spenser (c. 1552 – 1599) rose to prominence. He is best known for his epic poem "The Faerie Queene," which is considered one of the greatest works of English literature. Spenser's poetic works heavily influenced English literature and language.

Another notable figure from this period was John Spence (c. 1500 – 1576), an English scholar and mathematician. He served as a tutor to the children of King Henry VIII and is credited with introducing the use of the plus and minus signs in mathematical equations.

The surname Spence has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Spencers Farm in Kent and Spencer's Wood in Berkshire. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the surname Spence who owned or lived in these locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spence

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

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 Spence 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 Spence 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 Spence was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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