Find out how popular the last name Spenser is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Spenser.
A surname of English origin meaning "dispenser of provisions" or "steward".
Spenser, 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 Spenser surname is from the 2010 census data.
Spenser is the 33941st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Spenser surname appeared 670 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 Spenser.
We can also compare 2010 data for Spenser 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 33941 | 34308 | -1.08% |
Count | 670 | 625 | 6.95% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.00% |
The surname Spenser originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word 'despensier', which means 'steward' or 'officer in charge of provisions'. The name was initially an occupational surname given to those who worked as stewards or held positions of authority over household provisions.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Dispenser' and 'Le Despencer'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, 'Spenser'.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing this surname was Hugh le Despenser the Younger (c.1286-1326). He was a prominent English nobleman and the chamberlain of King Edward II. His father, Hugh le Despenser the Elder (c.1262-1326), also held significant power and influence during the reign of Edward II.
Another famous bearer of the name was Edmund Spenser (c.1552-1599), the renowned English poet and author of the epic poem 'The Faerie Queene'. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the Elizabethan era and is often referred to as the 'Poet's Poet'.
In the 17th century, John Spenser (1559-1614) was an English historian and President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He is best known for his work 'De Legibus Hebraeorum Ritualibus et earum Rationibus' (On the Ritual Laws of the Hebrews and Their Reasons), published in 1685.
Sir John Spenser (1782-1845) was a British admiral who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He played a significant role in several naval battles, including the Battle of San Domingo in 1806.
Finally, one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, Sir Stanley Spencer (1891-1959), bore the surname Spenser. He was an English painter and one of the leading figures of the British avant-garde movement in the early 20th century, known for his distinctive style and unique vision.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Spenser.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Spenser was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 66.12% | 443 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 22.24% | 149 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 1.64% | 11 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.04% | 7 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 5.52% | 37 |
Hispanic Origin | 3.43% | 23 |
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 Spenser has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 66.12% | 58.72% | 11.86% |
Black | 22.24% | 27.52% | -21.22% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.64% | 1.44% | 12.99% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.04% | 1.60% | -42.42% |
Two or More Races | 5.52% | 5.60% | -1.44% |
Hispanic | 3.43% | 5.12% | -39.53% |
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 Spenser was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Spenser, please contact us.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/spenser-surname-popularity/">Spenser last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Spenser last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/spenser-surname-popularity/.
"Spenser last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/spenser-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025
Spenser last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/spenser-surname-popularity/.
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