Talk:Spencer

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Why can't I edit this article? --Adaspe 21:33, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

I find it implausible that spencer is derived from dispencer...can a referance be provided?

what about including a reference to Herbert Spencer? 131.130.1.135 14:16, 30 October 2006 (UTC)


The Spencer from despencer thing sounds wierd, but pretty much the same thing can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary, unfortunately OED is password protected, so you'll have to go down to your local library if you want to take a look. It was apparently a servant position on big estates, basically the guy with the key to the pantry/storeroom who handed things out to the other servants as they were needed. Makes perfect sense, as otherwise the servants could have stolen from the estate. And it's very common for profession names to turn into last names - e.g. Butler, Farmer, Miller, Smith, Baker, Tanner, Cooper, etc...

[edit] My reverts

Sorry about that, trigger finger. --revotfel 01:25, 16 November 2007 (UTC)