History of your Surname
Get access to Spenks family records.Start a free trial

Spenks Family History

Spenks Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Spinks, Speaks, Spens, Sens, Spence, Penk, Speck, Shanks, Spanos

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Spenks family from?

You can see how Spenks families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spenks family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spenks families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there was 1 Spenks family living in Illinois. This was about 50% of all the recorded Spenks's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Spenks families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spenks surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Spenks ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and New Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Spenks. 38% of Spenks men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Spenks women worked as a New Worker. .

View Census Data for Spenks | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Laborer
    38%
  • Painter
    13%
  • Waiter
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • New Worker
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Spenks family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 513 census records available for the last name Spenks. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spenks census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Spenks

Passenger Lists

There are 82 immigration records available for the last name Spenks. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Spenks immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 43 military records available for the last name Spenks. For the veterans among your Spenks ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spenks military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spenks family history

Discover More

What is the average Spenks lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Spenks life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Spenks in 1964 was 84, and 92 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spenks

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Spenks family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Spenks last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial