This surname is derived from an official title. A house-steward, one who, strictly speaking, had charge of the buttery or spence. In the Sumner's Tale the glutton is well described as: 'All vinolent as botel in the spence.' while Mr. Halliwell quotes: 'Yet had I lever she and I Were both together secretly In some corner in the spence.' In an inventory of household goods, dated 1574, I find the furniture of the hall first described, and this begins: 'A cupboard and a spence' (Richmondshire Wills). The office of 'la despencer' or 'la spencer' was amongst the highest in the king's household, and proportionately great among the barons. Practically such a name as 'Thomas de la Spence' was as official as 'Thomas la Spencer,' but, as in similar instances elsewhere, I have set it down as local.

John le Spencer, Southamptonshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Henry le Spenser, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Henry del Spens, 1292: Hodgson's History of Northumberland.

Thomas del Spens: Patent Rolls, 4 Edward III. pt.

Nicholas de la Despense, Close Rolls, 4 Edward III.

Thomas Spenser, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Agnes Spenser, 1379: ibid.

(Anglo-French-Latin) Dispenser (of provisions), Buttery or Larder Keeper [Middle English spencer, spenser(e, Old French despender, dispensier, Low Latin dispensari-us; from Latin dispendere, to weigh out] John le Spencer.—Hund. Rolls, A.D.1274.

Henry le Spenser.— do.

Roger le Spenser.—Lanc. Fines, A.D. 1384.

The spensere and the botillere [butler] bothe, The kyng with hem was ful wrothe.— Cursor Mundi, 4447-8.

Syr Hugh the spencer that was the kynges chamberlayne.—Caxton, Citron. English, cxc. iii.

The spenser come with keyis in his hand, Opinit the dure, and thame at denner fand.—Henryson, The Uplandis Mous, 132-3.

= Spencer, q.v.

(English) One who dispensed, or had charge of, the provisions in a household.

In the eighteenth year of William the Conqueror lived Robertus Dispensator, otherwise called Le Despencer, because he was steward to the king. In the reign of Henry I. there were a William le Despencer and a Thurstan Dispencer, but whether these last were only successors in office, or actual descendants of Robert is not known, and the like uncertainty prevails as to subsequent bearers of the name. The unpopular Spencers of the time of Edward II. are traced by genealogists only to the reign of Henry III., though they may have been of much older date. Earl Spencer's family "claim a collateral descent from the baronial house, a claim which, without being irreconcileable perhaps with the early pedigrees of that family, admits of very grave doubts and considerable difficulties." Shirley's Noble and Gentle Men. The Earl's pedigree is, however, clearly traced to the reign of Henry VI. in Northamptonshire.

A more correct orthography of Spencer.

(Northen French) Le Despenser, a steward. The ancestor of the family assumed the name Le Despenser (Latin, dispensator), from being steward to the household of William the Conqueror.

From French dispensier, a dispenser, steward, literally one having the care of the spence or buttery. The ancestor of the noble family of Spencer was Robert de Spencer, steward, i. e. dispenser, to William the Conqueror.

Spencer. —Absent or rare in the north and south of England. Most numerous in the midlands, especially Warwickshire, and afterwards in Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, and Notts.