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

Spice, 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 Spice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spice in America

Spice is the 28333rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spice surname appeared 843 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 Spice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spice 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 Spice

The surname SPICE is believed to have originated in England in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "spicer," which referred to someone who traded in spices or worked as a spice merchant. The name likely arose as an occupational surname, given to individuals who made their living in this trade.

During the Middle Ages, spices were a highly valuable commodity, and the spice trade was a lucrative business. Spice merchants played an important role in the economic life of medieval England, importing exotic spices from distant lands and distributing them to markets across the country.

The earliest known record of the surname SPICE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a certain Robert le Spicer is mentioned. This is one of the earliest documented instances of the name in its recognizable form.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which records a Walter le Spicer in Oxfordshire. This document provides evidence of the surname's use and spread across different regions of England during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Spycer, Spisser, and Spicer, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and orthography of the time. One notable bearer of the name was John Spicer, a merchant from London who was granted a coat of arms in 1379.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals with the surname SPICE have left their mark in various fields. One such figure was Sir John Spice (1615-1683), an English merchant and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the establishment of the East India Company's trade in India.

Another notable bearer of the name was Henry Spice (1745-1827), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a renowned hydrographer, contributing to the mapping of the British coastline.

In the literary world, Henrietta Spice (1807-1892) was a British author and translator who published several works, including translations of German novels and a book on the history of the Reformation.

Moving into the 20th century, Sir Alister Spice (1887-1967) was a British civil engineer who made significant contributions to the construction of dams and water supply systems in various parts of the world.

Another notable figure was Sir Herbert Spice (1909-1989), a British diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Yugoslavia and later became the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors.

While these are just a few examples, the surname SPICE has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its enduring presence in the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spice

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

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

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

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