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Spender Family History

Spender Surname Meaning

English:: occupational name or status name from Middle English spender(e) spendour ‘steward treasurer’ a shortened form of Middle English Old French despendour denoting someone who managed money or supplies.

Compare Spencer.

Alternatively perhaps a nickname from Middle English spender(e) spendour ‘spender (of money) spendthrift’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Spender family from?

You can see how Spender families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spender family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spender families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 11 Spender families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Spender's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Spender families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spender surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Spender ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Spender. 44% of Spender men worked as a Laborer and 24% of Spender women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spender were Miner and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Spender | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    44%
  • Farmer
    31%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Miner
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    24%
  • Operator
    16%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    16%

What Spender family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Spender. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spender census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Spender

Passenger Lists

There are 811 immigration records available for the last name Spender. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Spender immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 953 military records available for the last name Spender. For the veterans among your Spender ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spender military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spender family history

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What is the average Spender lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Spender life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Spender in 1967 was 79, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spender

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spender ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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