SPENCE
Spence is a surname that finds its roots in the Scottish and English regions of the British Isles, and it is intrinsically linked to Celtic heritage. The word was first associated with the Gaelic language and with Christian communities that developed in the early medieval period.
The name is derived from the Middle English word spense or dispense, which means “to dispense” or “to distribute.” In that era it was an occupational surname applied to individuals who served as stewards or distributors of provisions, typically within a noble household or a monastery. This role placed the bearer in a position of trust, where they were responsible for the management and distribution of food, supplies and sometimes finances, thereby making them a key figure in the social and economic life of their community.
After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the term was introduced by the Norman French and became a metonymic occupational name for a royal or ecclesiastical pantry-keeper. The Old French word despense, itself a pre‑10th‑century derivative of the Latin dispendere meaning “to weigh out” or “to dispense,” gave rise to the surname. The earliest references to the name appear in the writings of Chaucer, where the pantry is described in the Cornish Tales. Variants that evolved from this origin include Spence, Spencer, Spens, Spenser and Despenser.
Documentary evidence from the early 17th century records of the colonies in Virginia and New England records the existence of a William Spence and his family on James Island, near the settlement of Elizabeth Cittee. A coat of arms was granted to a Spence family at Berryholl in Fife, Scotland; it depicts a black boar’s head, erased, between two red bars on a silver shield and bears the motto Patior ut Potiar which translates as I endure as I enjoy.
The earliest surviving spelling of the family name appears in the Charters of Guisburn Priory in Yorkshire, dated to the year 1300. The charter records a man named Simon del Spens. This document is set within the reign of King Edward I, often called The Hammer of the Scots, who ruled from 1272 to 1307. This early evidence confirms that the surname was in use among the Anglo‑Scottish gentry from at least the late thirteenth century.
Typical given names associated with the Spence surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Spence in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Spence are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 18,774 people named Spence in the UK. That makes it the 461st most common surname in Britain. Around 288 in a million people in Britain are named Spence.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Spence
- Jordan Spence - Football player
- Gusty Spence - Ulster loyalist (1933 to 2011)
- Louie Spence - Dancer and television personality
- Basil Spence - Scottish architect (1907 to 1976)
- Drew Spence - Football player
- Jo Spence - Photographer (1934 to 1992)
- Mike Spence - Racing driver (1936 to 1968)
- Lewis Spence - Academic (1874 to 1955)
- Jonathan Spence - -born historian
- Nevin Spence - -Irish rugby union player (1990 to 2012)
- Charles Spence - Psychologist
- Catherine Helen Spence - Scottish-born Australian author, teacher, journalist, politician and suffragist (1825 to 1910)
- Greig Spence - Scottish football player
- Joe Spence - Football player (1898 to 1966)
- Jamie Spence - Golfer
- Thomas Spence - Pamphlet writer (1750 to 1814)
- Fiona Spence - Australian actress
- Johnnie Spence - (1936 to 1977)
- Basil Neven-Spence - Politician (1888 to 1974)
- Michael Torrens-Spence - Royal Navy officer (1914 to 2001)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.