Explore the Family Name Spencer
The meaning of Spencer
English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): occupational name for someone who dispensed provisions or money, from Middle English spenser(e), spencer(e) ‘household steward, butler, almoner’ (Anglo-Norman French espenser, Old French despensier). Compare Spence and Spender. There is some dispute about the origins of the Spencer family, whose most famous member in recent times was the late Princess of Wales, born Lady Diana Spencer (1961–97). Some sources say that they are descended from William the Conqueror’s steward, Robert Despencer. What is clear is that by the 15th century they had become prosperous from sheep farming in Northamptonshire. Robert Spencer (died 1627) was said to be the wealthiest man in England. Their titles have included Earls of Sunderland and Earls Spencer; and through the female line the 5th Earl of Sunderland also became Duke of Marlborough in 1733. This connection was the result of the marriage, in 1700, of the 3rd Duke of Sunderland to the daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. The youngest son of this union, John Spencer (1708–46), was the father of the 1st Earl Spencer (1734–83).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Spencer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Spencer shows a slight decrease in rank from 189 in 2000 to 199 in 2010, representing a change of -5.29 percent. However, the count of individuals with the surname Spencer increased by 4.1 percent from 134,443 to 139,951 during this period. The proportion of the surname Spencer per 100,000 people also decreased by -4.82 percent from 49.84 in 2000 to 47.44 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #189 | #199 | -5.29% |
| Count | 134,443 | 139,951 | 4.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 49.84 | 47.44 | -4.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Spencer
The Decennial U.S. Census data reveals varying shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Spencer between 2000 and 2010. There was an increase in individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (10.14%), Two or more races (25.89%), Hispanic (52.57%), Black (2.97%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (10.53%). Conversely, there was a slight decline in the percentage of individuals identifying as White (-3.21%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.71% | 69.41% | -3.21% |
| Black | 22.55% | 23.22% | 2.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.75% | 2.67% | 52.57% |
| Two or More Races | 1.97% | 2.48% | 25.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.33% | 1.47% | 10.53% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.69% | 0.76% | 10.14% |
Spencer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Spencer is British & Irish, which comprises 51.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.8%) and Eastern European (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.2% |
| French & German | 22.8% |
| Eastern European | 3.6% |
| Other | 22.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Spencer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Spencer have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
What Spencer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Spencer is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-Z209, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hubbard, Wolfe, Groves, Huffman, Wolf, Fry, Sargent, Sharp, Walters, Mason.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Spencer surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Spencer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Spencer" Surname 41.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Spencer" Surname 24.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Spencer" Surname 21.1%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Spencer" Surname 32.9%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Spencer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Spencer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition