Spence Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Spence Family

2,773 Spence records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

2,773Records in our database

1785Earliest birth

1Documented families

4Biographies

See the Spence family trees →141 Spence families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

2,773 Spence records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Ohio (623 of 2,773)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: James Spence, born 1785, Hancock County, Ohio

Most common first names

William91 John81 James70 Robert58 Mary44 George42 Helen39 Charles31 Margaret31 Thomas29 Dorothy23 Donald21

Documented families

Spence families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The Spence family of Clark CountyOhioStarts: William Spence and Elizabeth (Wones) SpenceMost recent: Dr. D. Walter Spence (b. 1864)

The earliest Spences in the county histories

Samuel B. SpenceBorn 1819, Scott countyChild of Andrew Spence and Rebecca (Lemon) SpenceBoone County, Missouri John SpenceBorn 1824Clark County, Ohio John SpenceBorn 1824Clark County, Ohio Mary SpenceBorn 1826, German TownshipClark County, Ohio Milton SpenceBorn 1835Child of Colen Spence and Margaret (Walker) SpenceWarren County, Ohio Friend P. SpenceBorn 1840Child of Edmund Spence and Mercenn (Perln) SpenceClinton County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

141 Spence families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

11 Spence death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

11 Spence people in 7 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (4)

John SpenceBorn 1818 · Clark County, Ohio Mary SpenceBorn 1826 · Clark County, Ohio George SpenceBorn 1828 · Clark County, Ohio George A. SpenceBorn 1852 · Clark County, Ohio

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Spence family

Found your Spence? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Spence genealogy: FAQ

Where were Spence ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 2,773 Spence records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Ohio (623), then Missouri (598) and Michigan (346).

How far back does the Spence family tree go?

The earliest Spence birth in our database is 1785: James Spence, Hancock County, Ohio. We have pieced together 141 Spence family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Spence family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Spence family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.