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

Spencer, 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 Spencer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spencer in America

Spencer is the 199th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spencer surname appeared 139,951 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 47 people would have the surname Spencer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spencer 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 Spencer

The surname Spencer originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "despenser," meaning "steward" or "officer in charge of provisions." The name likely emerged from the occupation of a household steward or butler.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Spencer surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176, referring to a person named William le Despenser. The name was also found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript survey of England completed in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, the Spencer family rose to prominence in England, with members holding important positions in the royal court. One notable figure was Hugh le Despenser (c. 1262-1326), a powerful nobleman and the chief adviser to King Edward II. He was executed during the reign of Edward III for his alleged abuse of power and influence over the king.

Another prominent Spencer was Henry Spencer (c. 1517-1591), a member of the landed gentry in Northamptonshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1559. His descendants played influential roles in English politics and society over the following centuries.

In the 17th century, Robert Spencer (1570-1627), a wealthy landowner from Northamptonshire, was created Baron Spencer of Wormleighton in 1603. His son, Henry Spencer (1620-1643), was killed in the English Civil War while fighting for the Royalist cause.

The Spencer family continued to hold significant wealth and influence in England, with several members serving as Members of Parliament and holding various titles and estates. One of the most famous Spencers was Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997), who was born Diana Spencer before her marriage to Prince Charles.

Other notable individuals with the Spencer surname include Gilbert Spencer (1892-1979), a British painter and etcher; Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-1599), an English poet best known for his epic work "The Faerie Queene"; and Lilian Spencer (1898-1981), an American chemist and the first African American woman to earn a doctoral degree in chemistry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spencer

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

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

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

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