The Spence surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 36,129 people carried this name — #964 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 8,160 people counted. That is up 5% from 34,435 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Spence surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the spence’.

His entry covers Spence and Spens.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 707 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 58 births for the Spence name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 2,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “33 in Antrim and 11 in Down.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 52
Leinster 3
Munster 3

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

32 people named Spence live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 19
Zug 4
Aargau 3
Basel-Stadt 3
Vaud 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 25 people named Spence.

Most of them — 21 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Aude.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 21
Aude 1
Haut-Rhin 1
Paris 1
Seine-Saint-Denis 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

29 people named Spence is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 29

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Spence was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, North and East Ridings: 22 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 455. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 22
Yorkshire, West Riding 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Spence was recorded 120 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 203rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 204. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

70 Spence families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 372 people lived in those households, 5.3 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 30
Pennsylvania 13
South Carolina 13
Maryland 7
Connecticut 3
Virginia 2
New Hampshire 1
New York 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 263 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Spence in American newspapers,
1871–1915.

Newspaper page from The Weekly Corinthian carrying the name Spence
The Weekly Corinthian 1915-07-29
Newspaper page from The Weekly Echo carrying the name Spence
The Weekly Echo 1871-09-30
Newspaper page from The St. Mary Banner carrying the name Spence
The St. Mary Banner 1906-09-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 136,254 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Spence in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

87,784 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Spence. The most, 16,213, date from the 1910s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 34,571
Victoria 17,853
Queensland 15,869
South Australia 11,164
Western Australia 5,070
Tasmania 2,707
ACT (Canberra) 312
Northern Territory 76

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Spence.

Who carried it

People named Spence,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Billy Spence d. 1980 · politician
  • Margaret Christian Salome Arnott d. 1952
  • Hugh Blenkinsop Spence d. 1923
  • Grace Spence d. 1870
  • Susan Spence d. 1905
  • Sarah Spence d. 1870

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Spence,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,625 records

3,625 records of the Spence name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,184
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 660
  • Other U.S. records 1,781
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Donald Edwin Spence

    Born 1949; from Minneapolis, Minnesota. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Pleiku, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Elmer T. Spence

    Born 1900 in Maryland. Enlisted 1942 at Baltimore; carpenter from Baltimore City. Veteran; died 1952, buried at Baltimore National Cemetery, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margaret Spence

    Arrived at New York in 1855 aboard the Progress from Liverpool, aged 14; bookmaker. From Co Tyrone, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,625 records for Spence in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,367 records

2,367 records of the Spence name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,445
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 363
  • Other Australian records 559
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Albert Robert Spence

    Died 1916 in Inveresk, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1916.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Ann Spence

    Born 1831 in Launceston, Tasmania. Married 1852 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record David Henry Wilmot Spence

    Born 1867 in Launceston, Tasmania. Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 69.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,367 records for Spence in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada807 records

807 records of the Spence name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 489
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 80
  • Other Canadian records 238
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Percy Spence

    Killed in 1958 at the Springhill No. 2 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Spence

    Came to Ontario in 1878 aboard the Ontario, bound for London, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Kelly Spence

    Died 1980, aged 90; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 807 records for Spence in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom148 records

148 records of the Spence name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 76
  • Stirling Council burial records 37
  • Other British records 35
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James Spence

    Born 1899 at Elgin; grocer's assistant. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jean Spence

    Died 1970, aged 89; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Samuel Spence

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 61.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 148 records for Spence in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand40 records

40 records of the Spence name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 32
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Letitia Spence

    Died 1949, aged 86; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Robert Spence

    Died 1983, aged 48; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record W. Spence

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 40 records for Spence in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands23 records

23 records of the Spence name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 10
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 9
  • Dutch population registers 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frank Spence

    Married in 1945 in Nijmegen; "orgelbouwer".

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joseph Spence

    Died 1821 in Vlissingen, aged 61.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Francis Robertson Spence

    Died 1964 in Venlo, aged 35.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Venlo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Spence in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France6 records

6 records of the Spence name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Spence

    Born 1912 in the United Kingdom; died 1990 in Lesparre-Médoc (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lorna Angela Spence

    Born 1958 in West Moreland (Jamaïque); died 1996 in Les Abymes (Guadeloupe).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Spence in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Spence.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Spence is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Spence volume
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