The Spooner Name

The name SPOONER is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the occupation of its first bearers.

In its oldest use, Spooner was probably an occupational name for someone who covered roofs with wooden shingles, from an agent derivative of the Middle English span, meaning ‘chip’ or ‘splinter’. However, from the 14th century, under Scandinavian influence, the word acquired its modern sense denoting the eating utensil, and the surname most likely denoted someone who made spoons, typically from wood or horn. It is found in ancient English and early American records.

The U.S. family name cannot be traced back so far as to determine its true origin, and the more commonly accepted origin is the latter, "one who made spoons".

Families of this name were resident at early dates in the Counties of York, Worcester, Warwick, Essex, Lincoln, Middlesex, Norfolk and London. It appears that they were, for the most part, of the landed gentry of the British Isles. Among the earliest definite records of the name in England are those of Robertus and Willelmus (Robert and William) Sponer, of Yorkshire, in 1379; and those of Henricus (Henry) Spuner, of the same period.

Thomas Spooner

Thomas Spooner, to whom the original family crest was bestowed, hailed from Wickwantford, in the town of Solihull, Warwickshire, England. His descendents have continued to live primarily in England, where most are located today. Thomas was awarded the Spooner Crest in 1589 during the Visitation of Warwickshire as documented in the Harleian Manuscripts. According to English heraldry laws, only the eldest son of each generation in Thomas's direct lineage is eligible to claim the crest as his own, so only one or two living people could properly claim the crest today.

John Spooner

John Spooner, believed to be the ancestor of William, progenitor of the American Spooners, left Colchester, England for Amsterdam, the Netherlands and from there moved to Leiden, where the group that would become the original Pilgrims were gathering. In Leiden, John met and married Ann Peck, daughter of Robert and Prudence (Brewster) and neice of William Brewster, the famed Pilgrim leader. Their marriage certificate, dated December 24, 1616, is still on file at the Leiden Pilgrim Archives.

John died in 1630, and seven years later Ann decided to move to the New England colony with their two sons, Thomas and William. Thomas would die at a young age in Salem, Massachusetts, but William lived to father many generations of American Spooners.The earliest Spooners settled in Plympton, Massachusetts, and from there migtrated to Vermont, Wisconsin, the Carolinas, and many other states.

Other Spooner Origins

While William and Thomas are the two Spooner ancestors most documented in historical records, there are undoubtedly many other branches of the Spooner family that exist. If you have knowledge about other Spooner branches that you want to share, please email me!