Spencer

See also: spencer

English

Alternative forms

• Spenser

Etymology

An occupational surname from Middle English Spenser, Spencer, Spensier, from the common noun spenser (“spencer”), denoting someone who works in a spense (“spence”), or as a butler or steward.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈspɛnsə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈspɛnsɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛnsə(ɹ)

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

Proper noun

Spencer (countable and uncountable, plural Spencers)

1. (countable) An English surname originating as an occupation.

   Synonym: Spenser

   • 2022 May 20, Elle Reeve, “How White ‘replacement theory’ evolved from elderly racists to teens online to the alleged inspiration for another racist mass homicide”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     Other groups have different messages: the National Policy Institute, fronted by Richard Spencer and designed to “elevate the consciousness of whites”; the Occidental Quarterly, run by CMS member Kevin MacDonald and presenting itself as a scholarly journal; American Third Position, later rebranded as the American Freedom Party, led by Johnson with “a platform that is predicated on the preservation of our traditional European roots.”

2. (countable) A unisex given name.
   1. A male given name transferred from the surname, of general 19th century and later usage.
      • 2025 September 10, Joe Hutchison, “Tragedy as Charlie Kirk's wife left behind with two young children after conservative activist is fatally shot”, in Daily Mail‎^[2]:

        Later, a 'person of interest' was said to be in custody in connection with Kirk's shooting, Utah governor Spencer Cox announced Wednesday evening.

   2. A female given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.
3. A placename:
   1. A suburb of Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia; probably named for British politician George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer.
   2. A locality in the United States.
      1. A town in Massachusetts; named for Massachusetts governor Spencer Phips.
      2. A city, the county seat of Clay County, Iowa.
      3. A city in Oklahoma.
      4. A town in North Carolina; named for railroad executive Samuel Spencer.
      5. A town and village in New York; named for New York statesman Ambrose Spencer.
      6. A city, the county seat of Roane County, West Virginia.
      7. A town, the county seat of Owen County, Indiana; named for Indiana militia officer Spier Spencer.
      8. A town and village in Wisconsin; named for the town in Massachusetts.
      9. A town, the county seat of Van Buren County, Tennessee; named for longhunter Thomas Sharp Spencer.
      10. A village in Ohio.
      11. A village in Nebraska; perhaps named for Alabama statesman George E. Spencer.
      12. A city in South Dakota; named for railroad official H. Spencer.
      13. A hamlet in Idaho.
      14. An unincorporated community in Missouri; named for a local merchant.
      15. An unincorporated community in Virginia; named for first settler James Spencer Jr.
      16. A number of townships in the United States, listed under Spencer Township.
   3. Ellipsis of Spencer County.
4. An English earldom.

Derived terms

• County of Spencer
• Spencer County
• Spencer Gulf
• Spencers Brook
• Spencer Township
• Township of Spencer

Translations

surnames derived from the equivalent of “spencer”

• German: Speiser
• Greek: Οικονόμος (el) (Oikonómos)

Cebuano

Etymology

Borrowed from English Spencer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspenseɾ/ [ˈs̪pen̪.s̪eɾ̪]
• Hyphenation: Spen‧cer

Proper noun

Spencer (Badlit spelling ᜐ᜔ᜉᜒᜈ᜔ᜐᜒᜇ᜔)

1. a male given name from English

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: Spen‧cer

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Spencer

1. a male given name from English

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from English Spencer.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈspenseɾ/ [ʔɪsˈpɛn̪.sɛɾ]
• Rhymes: -enseɾ
• Syllabification: Spen‧cer

Proper noun

Spencer (Baybayin spelling ᜐ᜔ᜉᜒᜈ᜔ᜐᜒᜇ᜔)

1. a male given name from English