Surname Spenser - Meaning and Origin

Spenser: What does the surname Spenser mean?

The last name Spenser is an English surname derived from the Middle English name Spencer. It is a patronymic name derived from a medieval given name, Spencer, which was in turn derived from the Old French especier, meaning "dispenser, provider". It is believed that the surname originated with a family who were responsible for providing food, supplies and other provisions to a castle or community.

The name first appeared in England in the 12th century and it was also found in Scotland and Ireland. The name was extremely popular in Scotland in the 19th century, and it remains a common Scottish surname. It is also found throughout the English speaking world and other parts of Europe.

Spenser is still primarily used as a surname, but it is also sometimes used as a given name. It continues to be a popular surname, easily found in phone books, school rosters, and obituaries. It is also often used as a character name in books, plays, and movies.

Spenser: Where does the name Spenser come from?

The last name Spenser is fairly common throughout the world today but is particularly prevalent in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the United States, Spenser is the 727th most common last name, with approximately 48,200 people with it according to data from the US Results Census Bureau. In the United Kingdom, the surname Spenser is much less common than it is in the United States, ranking at 1,277th on the list of the most common last names in England and Wales. Scotland also has a relatively small population of Spensers, ranking 9,711th in Scotland.

Elsewhere, Spenser is most common in Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, it ranks 546th. In Ireland, it ranks 780th and in Australia, it ranks 1085th. In New Zealand, the surname is also not particularly common, ranking at 2662nd. In France, the name is not very common either, ranking 4,148th in the population.

As far as origin is concerned, the last name Spenser is primarily of British origin. It derived from an old English surname with several spelling variations. It is thought to have been derived from a contraction of "despenser", which means "steward". Originally, these families worked as stewards for a noble house.

Variations of the surname Spenser

The surname Spenser has a few viable variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin. The variants of Spenser include Spencer, Spensar, and Spenser. Spenser is the most common spelling, however, Spencer is also quite popular and is sometimes used as an alternate spelling when a formal version of the surname is needed.

There are also a few other surnames that are thought to be of the same origin as Spenser. One of these surnames is Spens. This derives from an old form of the older surname Spence, which was a French form of Spenser. Another surname of similar origin is Spench. This surname is thought to be a shortened form of Spensar, which was once a form of the surname Spenser.

In some Scottish families, Spens is a form of the surname Spence. The name Spence has also been used as a biblical name and is thought to be derived from the old Roman name Spencillus, which translates as “little spear”. The name Spencillus further evolved to Sperancia, which is thought to be the origin of the surname Spenser.

Finally, there is the English surname Spinnell which is thought to be of similar origin to Spenser. This origin is thought to have evolved from a medieval French form of the Latin name Sperencius, which is related to the Latin word for spear.

It is clear that there are a number of versions and spellings of the surname Spenser with potential ties to the same origin.

Famous people with the name Spenser

• Rowan Atkinson: British comedic actor famously known as Mr. Bean
• Tristan Spenser: Canadian professional ice hockey player
• George Eliot: English novelist famous for works such as The Mill on the Floss
• Rodney Spenser Jr.: American professional football player
• Stacey Peachy: Utah-born YouTuber and social media personality
• Charlotte Spenser: English character actress
• Kristin Spenser: American actress
• Collette Spenser: British fashion designer
• Richard Spenser: American white nationalist and alt-right activist
• Anne Spenser: English poet, novelist and short story writer

Other surnames

Spens