NameCensus.

UK surname

Spender

A surname derived from the occupation of a dispenser or purveyor.

In the 1881 census there were 235 people recorded with the Spender surname, ranking it #11,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 384, ranked #12,251, down from #11,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spender is 429 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.4%.

1881 census count

235

Ranked #11,573

Modern count

384

2016, ranked #12,251

Peak year

1998

429 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spender had 235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016, ranked #12,251.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 376 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Spender surname distribution map

The map shows where the Spender surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Spender surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spender over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 219 #9,712
1861 historical 197 #12,166
1881 historical 235 #11,573
1891 historical 254 #12,598
1901 historical 302 #11,592
1911 historical 376 #9,736
1997 modern 366 #11,781
1998 modern 429 #10,795
1999 modern 428 #10,898
2000 modern 411 #11,185
2001 modern 402 #11,183
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 393 #11,401
2004 modern 388 #11,539
2005 modern 372 #11,813
2006 modern 371 #11,916
2007 modern 396 #11,459
2008 modern 395 #11,598
2009 modern 402 #11,682
2010 modern 408 #11,804
2011 modern 395 #11,966
2012 modern 393 #11,874
2013 modern 401 #11,890
2014 modern 397 #12,076
2015 modern 393 #12,059
2016 modern 384 #12,251

Geography

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Where Spenders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme, County Durham and Kensington and Chelsea. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 019 Flintshire
2 Newcastle-under-Lyme 010 Newcastle-under-Lyme
3 County Durham 049 County Durham
4 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 003 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spender

These lists show first names that appear often with the Spender surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spender

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spender, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Spender surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Spender household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Spender is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spender is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spender falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spender is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Spender, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Spender

The surname Spender is of English origin, first appearing in records from the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "spendere," meaning "one who spends or disburses." The name likely referred to an occupation, such as a steward or a treasurer responsible for managing financial affairs.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest records mentioning the name, there is an entry for a William le Spendere from Oxfordshire. The use of the Norman-French prefix "le" before the surname indicates it was an occupational name at the time.

The Spender surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which list a John le Spendere. These early records suggest the name was already established in various parts of England by the late 13th century.

A notable early bearer of the Spender name was Sir John Spendlove (c.1480-1545), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as an Alderman and Sheriff of the City of London in the early 16th century.

Another historical figure was Sir Bartholomew Spender (c.1516-1567), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Denbigh Boroughs in Wales during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Spender surname was found in the parish records of Hertfordshire, where a John Spender was recorded in the St. Michael's Parish Register in Bishops Stortford in 1618.

The spelling variations of the name in earlier times included Spendlove, Spendluff, and Spendlow, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and individual record keepers.

One notable bearer of the Spender name in the 18th century was John Spendlove (1711-1792), an English botanist and gardener who worked at the renowned Physic Garden in Chelsea, London.

In the 19th century, Sir Philipp Spender (1807-1877) was a prominent British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Berkshire from 1857 to 1865.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spender families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spender surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Wiltshire leads with 32 Spenders recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.92x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 32 15.92x
Surrey 30 2.71x
Middlesex 29 1.28x
Shropshire 29 14.77x
Staffordshire 26 3.39x
Hampshire 15 3.22x
Kent 15 1.93x
Somerset 14 3.83x
Lancashire 13 0.48x
Cheshire 9 1.79x
Yorkshire 5 0.22x
Warwickshire 4 0.70x
Berkshire 3 1.76x
Radnorshire 3 16.36x
Durham 2 0.30x
Sussex 2 0.52x
Devon 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 20 Spenders recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.09x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 20 10.09x
Trowbridge 15 168.92x
Hinstock 14 2089.55x
Southampton St Mary 14 47.80x
Cheswardine 12 1428.57x
Bradford On Avon 10 155.52x
Chelsea London 10 14.60x
Walcot 9 46.18x
Kingswinford 7 25.13x
Liverpool 7 4.27x
Ramsgate 7 55.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 8.60x
Aston By Sutton 6 2727.27x
Battersea 6 7.17x
Islington London 6 2.72x
Sevenoaks 6 95.39x
Shoreditch London 6 6.09x
Salisbury St Edmund 5 154.80x
Gnosall 4 216.22x
St Marylebone London 4 3.30x
Aston 3 1.90x
Bermondsey 3 4.43x
Bray 3 59.88x
Leeds 3 2.36x
Nantmel 3 312.50x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 22.09x
Runcorn 3 25.93x
Crossgate 2 67.57x
Eccleshall 2 68.73x
Everton 2 2.33x
Horsforth 2 40.49x
Kinnersley 2 1176.47x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 20.88x
St Pancras London 2 1.09x
Adbaston 1 238.10x
Bathwick 1 24.69x
Birmingham 1 0.52x
Brighton 1 1.29x
Crawley 1 285.71x
Drayton In Hales 1 24.69x
Eastbourne 1 5.67x
Farmborough 1 151.52x
Great Wishford 1 357.14x
Greenwich 1 2.76x
Kensington London 1 0.79x
Kirkdale 1 2.20x
Milford 1 92.59x
Penge 1 6.89x
Radcliffe 1 7.69x
Riby 1 454.55x
Tormoham 1 5.00x
Twerton 1 26.53x
Walton On Hill 1 6.84x
Warrington 1 3.13x
Wolstanton 1 4.29x
Wolstanton Knutton 1 21.37x
Woolwich 1 3.49x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Spender surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 11
Annie 10
Eliza 9
Ellen 7
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Emma 5
Maria 5
Jane 4
Elizth. 3
Louisa 3
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Constance 1
Daisy 1
Delila 1
Edith 1
Ella 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Howard 1
Julia 1
Lily 1
Louis 1
Lydia 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Rosita 1
Ruth 1
Sibil 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Spender surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 20
John 14
Thomas 11
George 9
James 9
Frederick 5
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Harry 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Aron 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Benjn. 1
Britton 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Griffin 1
Hugh 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Manoah 1
Mosses 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wiiliam 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Spender surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spender surname in 1881?

In 1881, 235 people were recorded with the Spender surname. That placed it at #11,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spender surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016. That gives Spender a modern rank of #12,251.

What does the Spender surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of a dispenser or purveyor.

What does the Spender map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Spender bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.