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

Spruance, 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 Spruance surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spruance in America

Spruance is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spruance surname appeared 169 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 Spruance.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spruance 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 Spruance

The surname Spruance has its origins in England, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "sprunen" and "sprngan," which mean "to sprout" or "to spring up," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a spring or a place where vegetation sprouted abundantly.

In its early days, the name was spelled in various ways, including Spruance, Spraunce, Sprewance, and Sprowance. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Hertfordshire Parish Registers, where a John Sprowance was mentioned in 1591.

During the 17th century, the Spruance family settled in Pennsylvania, United States, where they became prominent members of the Quaker community. One of the notable figures from this family was Presley Spruance (1661-1756), a prominent Quaker minister and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the name Spruance gained recognition through the life of Levi Spruance (1722-1799), a successful merchant and shipowner from Philadelphia. He played a significant role in the American Revolution, serving as a member of the Committee of Safety and as a supplier of provisions to the Continental Army.

Another prominent figure was Commodore Raymond A. Spruance (1886-1969), a highly decorated United States Navy officer who played a crucial role in several major battles during World War II, including the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. He received numerous honors, including the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal.

Other notable individuals with the surname Spruance include William Spruance (1776-1846), a prominent attorney and judge in Delaware; John Spruance (1784-1855), a member of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware; and William C. Spruance (1809-1883), a successful banker and businessman in Philadelphia.

While the Spruance name has its roots in England, it has become widely associated with the United States, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware, where many members of the family have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, business, and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spruance

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

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

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

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