The Spencer family is an aristocratic family in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

. From the 16th century, its members have held numerous titles including the dukedom of Marlborough, the earldoms of

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

and Spencer, and the Churchill barony. Two prominent members of the family during the 20th century were

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...

and

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

History

Descent and claims

The House was founded in the 15th century by Henry Spencer (died c. 1478), from whom all members descend. In the 16th century the claim arose that the Spencers were a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets— realm, t ...

of the ancient House Le Despencer, though this theory has since been debunked, in particular by

J. Horace Round (John) Horace Round (22 February 1854 – 24 June 1928) was an historian and genealogist of the English medieval period. He translated the portion of Domesday Book (1086) covering Essex into English. As an expert in the history of the British p ...

in his essay ''The Rise of the Spencers''. The Spencers were first granted a coat of arms in 1504, ''"Azure a fess Ermine between 6 sea-mews’ heads erased Argent,"'' but this bears no resemblance to the arms used by the family after c. 1595, which were derived from the Despencer arms, ''"Quarterly Argent and Gules in the second and third quarters a Fret Or overall on a Bend Sable three Escallops of the first"'' (the scallops standing for the difference as a cadet branch). Round argued that the Despencer descent was fabricated by Richard Lee, a corrupt

Clarencieux King of Arms Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Engla ...

. Citing Round, '' The Complete Peerage'' dismissed the alleged Despencer descent as an "elaborate imposture" which "is now incapable of deceiving the most credulous."

Rise to wealth

A close relative of Henry Spencer (died c. 1478) was John Spencer, who in 1469 had become feoffee (trustee) of Wormleighton in

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avo ...

and a tenant at Althorp in

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...

in 1486. His nephew, Sir John Spencer (died 1522), first made a living by trading in livestock and other commodities and eventually saved enough money to purchase both the Wormleighton and Althorp lands. Wormleighton was bought in 1506, the manor house was completed in 1512. In 1508, Spencer also purchased the estate of Althorp with its moated house and several hundred acres of farmland.H. Gawthorne/S. Mattingly/G. W. Shaeffer/M. Avery/B. Thomas/R. Barnard/M. Young, Revd. N.V. Knibbs/R. Horne: "The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Great Brington. 800 Years of English History", published as "Brington Church: A Popular History" in 1989 and printed by Peerless Press. He had grazed sheep here from the 1480s. Impressed by the quality of the land, he eventually bought it and rebuilt the house in 1508.Sir John Spencer 1455–1522 (access date 20 July 2013) At that time, his estate and mansion in Warwickshire were considerably larger, and the house in Wormleighton was four times the size of Althorp. In 1511 he made further purchases to acquire the villages of

Little Brington Little Brington is a village in Brington and civil parish, in West Northamptonshire, England. It has one little school that currently holds around 50 children. The villages name means 'Farm/settlement connected with Bryni'. Little Brington ...

and Great Brington as well their parish church of St Mary the Virgin, from Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset. By putting down roots at Althorp, Spencer provided what was to become a home for the next 19 generations. In 1519 he was knighted by

King Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

, died three years later and was buried in the new family chapel at Great Brington. The Spencers rose to opulent prominence during the 16th century. Sir John Spencer's grandson Sir John Spencer (d. 1586) was a

Knight of the Shire Knight of the shire ( la, milites comitatus) was the formal title for a member of parliament (MP) representing a county constituency in the British House of Commons, from its origins in the medieval Parliament of England until the Redistributio ...

for

. The Spencers’ administration of their Northamptonshire and Warwickshire estates was admired and often emulated by gentlemen all over England. Sheep from their pastures were purchased for breeding and it is probable that the family's success as farmers was rarely equalled in the century.Sir John Spencer, History of Parliament Onlin

(access date 20 July 2013) In the late 16th century, the latter Sir John Spencer's grandson Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, Sir Robert Spencer (1570–1627) represented Brackley in Parliament. In 1601, he was made a Knight of the Garter, and created Baron Spencer, of Wormleighton, in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in th ...

in 1603. During the reign of King James I he was reputed to be the richest man in England. The humble origins of the Spencers as sheep farmers once caused a heated exchange of words between wealthy yet then upstart Spencers with the more established Howards whose FitzAlan ancestors had been the Earls of Arundel since the 13th century. During a debate in the House of Peers, Lord Spencer was speaking about something that their great ancestors had done when suddenly the Earl of Arundel cut him off and said "My Lord, when these things you speak of were doing, your ancestors were keeping sheep". Lord Spencer then instantly replied, "When my ancestors as you say were keeping sheep, your ancestors were plotting treason." Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer, was succeeded in his peerage and estates by his eldest surviving son,

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

. He had previously represented Northamptonshire in Parliament. Two of his sons received additional peerages: His eldest son, Henry (1620–1643), succeeded as 3rd Baron Spencer in 1636 and was created Earl of Sunderland in the Peerage of England in 1643. The younger son,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

(1629–1694), sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...

from 1660 to 1679 and was created

Viscount Teviot Viscount Teviot was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation was on 20 October 1685 for the Honourable Robert Spencer of the Spencer family. He was the son of William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighto ...

in the Peerage of Scotland in 1685. The senior branch of the Spencers (later known as the Spencer-Churchill family) is currently represented by Jamie Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough, direct descendant via the eldest male-line of Sir John Spencer, who was knighted by

in 1519 while the cadet branch of the family, the Spencers of Althorp who descends via the male-line from the younger son of the 3rd Earl Sunderland is represented by Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer.

Spencer, later Spencer-Churchill

Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, (5 September 164128 September 1702) was an English nobleman and politician of the Spencer family. An able and gifted statesman, his caustic temper and belief in absolute monarchy nevertheless made him nu ...

, was

Lord President of the Council The lord president of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Lord ...

from 1685 to 1688 and a Knight of the Garter. His son Charles, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland,

Lord Privy Seal The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. Originally, ...

, Secretary of State for both the Northern and Southern Departments,

First Lord of the Treasury The first lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is by convention also the prime minister. This office is not equivalent to the ...

and a Knight of the Garter. His second wife was Lady Anne Churchill, the second daughter of the distinguished soldier John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. After Churchill's death in 1722, the Marlborough titles first passed to his eldest daughter Henrietta (1681–1733), then to Anne's second son,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

. After the death of his elder brother,

, in 1729, Charles Spencer had already inherited the titles of 4th '' Earl of Sunderland'' and ''Baron Spencer'' of Wormleighton as well as the Spencer family estates. In 1733, he succeeded to the Churchill family estates and titles and became the 3rd Duke of Marlborough as well as a Knight of the Garter, while the Spencer estates in

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...

(including Althorp) and

passed to his younger brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

(1708–1746). In 1815, Francis Spencer, the younger son of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, was created Baron Churchill, of

Wychwood Wychwood or Wychwood Forest is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Witney in Oxfordshire. It is also a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 1, and an area of is a national nature reserve The site contains a long barro ...

in the

County of Oxford Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primar ...

, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1902, his grandson, the 3rd Baron, was created Viscount Churchill, of Rolleston in the

County of Leicester Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

, also in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great ...

. In 1817, George Spencer, 5th Duke of Marlborough, obtained permission to assume and bear the additional

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

of Churchill in addition to his own surname of Spencer, in order to perpetuate the name of his illustrious great-great-grandfather. At the same time he received Royal Licence to quarter his paternal arms of Spencer with the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

of Churchill.Paul Courtenay, The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill (access date 20 July 2013) The modern Dukes of Marlborough thus originally bore the surname " Spencer". The double-barrelled surname of "Spencer-Churchill" as used since 1817 has remained in the family to this day, though some members have preferred to style themselves merely "Churchill". The 7th Duke of Marlborough was the paternal grandfather of

(1874–1965), the British prime minister. The latter's widow, Clementine (1885–1977), was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

ess in her own right as Baroness Spencer-Churchill in 1965. The family seat of the Dukes of Marlborough is

Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace (pronounced ) is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the only non- royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, ...

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primaril ...

. Most Spencer-Churchills are interred in the churchyard of St Martin's Church, Bladon, a short distance from the palace; only the Dukes and Duchesses are buried in the Blenheim Palace chapel.

Spencer, of Althorp House

In 1761, John Spencer (1734–1783), a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was created Baron Spencer of Althorp and Viscount Spencer in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself re ...

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

. In 1765, he was further created Viscount Althorp and Earl Spencer, also in the Peerage of Great Britain. In 1755, he had privately married Margaret Poyntz (1737–1814) in his mother's dressing room at Althorp. They had five children, including the 2nd Earl Spencer, who later became

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all nationa ...

from 1806 to 1807 and a Knight of the Garter. His older son, the 3rd Earl Spencer was

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Ch ...

under Lord Grey and

Lord Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, (15 March 177924 November 1848), in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841). His first pr ...

from 1830 to 1834. The 2nd Earl's youngest son George (1799–1864) converted from

Anglicanism Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

to the

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

Church, became a priest and took the name of ''Father Ignatius of St Paul''. He worked as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

and is a candidate for

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to Intercession of saints, intercede on behalf of individual ...

. His older brother, who eventually became the 4th Earl Spencer, was a naval commander, courtier and Whig politician. He initially served in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

and fought in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

and the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted by ...

, eventually rising to the rank of Vice-Admiral, and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1849. His son, the 5th Earl Spencer, who was known as the "Red Earl" because of his distinctive long red beard, was a close friend of prime minister

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-con ...

. He served twice as

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the King ...

and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1864. He was succeeded in 1910 by his half-brother, the 6th Earl Spencer, who had been made Viscount Althorp, of Great Brington in the County of Northamptonshire, in the

, in 1905 and served as

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main c ...

from 1905 to 1912. He became a Knight of the Garter in 1913, and was succeeded in the earldom and estates by his son, the 7th Earl Spencer, in 1922. His son, the 8th Earl Spencer, succeeded to the earldom and estates in 1975. He married Frances Ruth Roche in 1954 and had a daughter, Diana, who married Prince Charles in 1981. The family seat of the Earl Spencer is Althorp in

, their traditional burial place is the parish church of St Mary the Virgin Church, Great Brington. The family estate includes significant land holdings in other parts of the country, including the village of

North Creake North Creake is a village and civil parish in the north west of the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and had a population of 414 in 184 households at the 2001 census, reducing to 386 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...

Members of the family

Spencer Knights

* Sir John Spencer, Kt. of Snitterfield & Wormleighton (1447–1522) married Isabel, daughter of Sir Walter Graunt, of Snitterfield * Sir William Spencer, Kt. of Wormleighton & Althorp (1483–1532) married Susan, daughter of Sir Richard Knightley, of Fawsley, Northants * Sir John Spencer, Kt. of Wormleighton & Althorp (1524–1586) married Katherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Kitson, of Hengrove, SuffolkMember of Parliament Biography
/ref> * Sir John Spencer, Kt. (1546–1600) married Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Catlyn, of Berne, Dorset * Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, Sir Robert Spencer (1570–1627), was made ''1st Baron Spencer''

Spencer Baronets

This now extinct line descended from two younger sons of Sir John Spencer (1524–1586) and his wife Katherine Kitson: * Their third son William was a landowner in Yarnton,

; his son Thomas was created '' Baronet of Yarnton'' in 1611. * Their fourth son Richard was the ambassador of

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

to the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ( Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiograph ...

; his son, John, was a landowner in Great Offley,

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For gov ...

and was created '' Baronet of Offley'' in 1627.

Barons Spencer

* Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer (1570–1627), married Margaret, daughter of Sir

Francis Willoughby (1547-1596) Francis Willoughby may refer to: * Francis Willoughby (1547–1596), industrialist and coalowner * Francis Willoughby (1613–1671), deputy governor of Massachusetts * Francis Willughby (1635–1672), English ornithologist and ichthyologist * Fra ...

, Kt. *

William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (christened 4 January 1591 – 19 December 1636) was an English nobleman, politician, and peer from the Spencer family. Life Spencer was the son of Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Worml ...

(1591–1636), married Penelope, daughter of

Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, (pronunciation uncertain: "Rezley", "Rizely" (archaic), (present-day) and have been suggested; 6 October 1573 – 10 November 1624) was the only son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of So ...

* Henry Spencer, 3rd Baron Spencer (1620–1643), royalist in the English Civil War, was made ''1st Earl of Sunderland''

Earls of Sunderland

Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, 3rd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (c. 23 November 1620 – 20 September 1643), known as The Lord Spencer between 1636 and June 1643, was an English peer, nobleman, and politician from the Spencer family who ...

(1620–1643), royalist in the English Civil War *

(1640–1702), politician * Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland (1675–1722), politician * Johnspencer1708

Robert Spencer, 4th Earl of Sunderland Robert Spencer, 4th Earl of Sunderland (24 October 1701 – 15 September 1729) was a British peer from the Spencer family, the son of Whig politician Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland. His mother was Lady Anne Churchill, the daughter of ...

(1701–1729) * Charles Spencer, 5th Earl of Sunderland (1706–1758), succeeded his maternal aunt as ''3rd Duke of Marlborough''

Dukes of Marlborough

* Charles Spencer, 5th Earl of Sunderland, 3rd Duke of Marlborough (1706–1758), general and politician * George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739–1817), politician * George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough (1766–1840), elder son of the 4th Duke, changed his surname from "Spencer" to "Spencer-Churchill" * George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough (1793–1857), eldest son of the 5th Duke * John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (1822–1883), eldest son of the 6th Duke (and paternal grandfather of

) *

George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough, DL (13 May 1844 – 9 November 1892), styled Earl of Sunderland until 1857 and Marquess of Blandford between 1857 and 1883, was a British peer. Early life Marlborough was born in Engl ...

(1844–1892), eldest son of the 7th Duke * Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934), only son of the 8th Duke * John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), elder son of the 9th Duke * John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926-2014), elder son of the 10th Duke * Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 1955), eldest son of the 11th Duke

Barons and Viscounts Churchill

This line of the family descends from Francis Spencer, younger son of the 4th Duke of Marlborough. In 1902, his grandson, the 3rd Baron, was created ''Viscount Churchill''. Holders of these titles include * Francis Almeric Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill (1779–1845) * Victor Albert Francis Charles Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill (1864–1934)

Earls Spencer

* John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer (1734–1783), a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland through his third and youngest son * George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758–1834), politician and book collector * John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer (1782–1845), better known as Lord Althorp, politician * Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer (1798–1857) * John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (1835–1910), politician *

Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer, (30 October 1857 – 26 September 1922), styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician from the Sp ...

(1857–1922) *

Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer, (23 May 1892 – 9 June 1975), styled The Honourable Albert Spencer until 1910 and Viscount Althorp from 1910 to 1922, and known less formally as Jack Spencer, was a British peer. He was the pater ...

(1892–1975) * (Edward) John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer (1924–1992), father of Diana, Princess of Wales * Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (born 1964), younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales

Notable marriages

* Jane Spencer, daughter of Sir John Spencer of Hodnell, married Sir William Cope * Jane Spencer, daughter of Sir William Spencer (1483–1558) of Wormleighton and Althorp, married Sir Richard Brydges, Kt. *

Alice Spencer Alice Spencer, Countess of Derby (4 May 1559 – 23 January 1637) was an English noblewoman from the Spencer family and noted patron of the arts. Poet Edmund Spenser represented her as "Amaryllis" in his eclogue '' Colin Clouts Come Home Againe' ...

(1559–1637), daughter of Sir John Spencer (1524–1586), married Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby. Their daughter Anne (1580–1647) was heiress presumptive to the English throne upon the death of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

according to the

will of Henry VIII The will of Henry VIII of England was a significant constitutional document, or set of contested documents created in the 1530s and 1540s, affecting English and Scottish politics for the rest of the 16th century. In conjunction with legislation pass ...

and the

Third Succession Act The Third Succession Act of King Henry VIII's reign, passed by the Parliament of England in July 1543, returned his daughters Mary and Elizabeth to the line of the succession behind their half-brother Edward. Born in 1537, Edward was the son ...

. As Lady Derby, Alice was a noted patron of the arts and to whom poet

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for '' The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen o ...

represented the character "Amaryllis" in his eclogue Colin Clouts Come Home Againe in 1595 and dedicated his poem ''

The Teares of the Muses ''Complaints'' is a poetry collection by Edmund Spenser, published in 1591. It contains nine poems. Its publisher, William Ponsonby, added an introduction of his own. ''The Ruins of Time'' The poem is narrated by Verulame, female spirit of Verula ...

'' in 1591. * Lady Georgiana Spencer (1757–1806), daughter of the 1st Earl Spencer, married William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire *

Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford (née Lady Diana Spencer; 31 July 1710 – 27 September 1735), was a member of the Spencer family, chiefly remembered because of an unsuccessful attempt to arrange a marriage for her with Frederick, Prince of W ...

(born Lady Diana Spencer), daughter of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland, married in 1731 John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford *

(born The Hon. Diana Spencer), daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer, married in 1981

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

(later King Charles III), and had issue. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. *

Clarissa Spencer-Churchill Anne Clarissa Eden, Countess of Avon (; 28 June 1920 – 15 November 2021) was an English memoirist and the second wife of Anthony Eden, who served as British prime minister from 1955 to 1957. She married Eden in 1952, becoming Lady Eden in 19 ...

, daughter of Jack Spencer-Churchill (younger brother of

), married Sir

Anthony Eden Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957. Achieving rapid promo ...

, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. *

(1874–1965),

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern p ...

, grandson of the John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, 7th Duke of Marlborough, married Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, Clementine Hozier (1885–1977), later a

ess in her own right as ''Baroness Spencer-Churchill''. * The Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, 9th Duke of Marlborough married Consuelo Vanderbilt, member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. * The John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, 11th Duke of Marlborough married in 1961 Athina Livanos, former wife of Aristotle Onassis. In 1972 he married Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Countess Rosita Douglas-Stjernorp, daughter of Swedish nobleman and diplomat Count Carl Douglas-Stjernorp. They were divorced in 2008. Her elder sister Elisabeth (b. 1940) is married to Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria, heir presumptive to the Headship of the Royal House of Bavaria. As an artist, she is known professionally as Rosita Marlborough. * Mary Soames, Baroness Soames, Mary Spencer-Churchill, daughter of

, married Christopher Soames, Baron Soames, and was made a Order of the Garter, Lady of the Garter in 2005. * The 7th Earl Spencer, when heir to the earldom and styled ''Viscount Althorp'', married in 1919 Lady Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer, Cynthia Hamilton, daughter of the James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn, 3rd Duke of Abercorn. * The 8th Earl Spencer, when heir to the earldom and styled ''Viscount Althorp'', married in 1954 the Hon. Frances Ruth Roche, daughter of the Maurice Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy, 4th Baron Fermoy. *The Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, then Viscount Althorp, married Victoria Aitken, Victoria Lockwood, a British fashion model, in 1989. They divorced in 1997. He married his third wife Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer, Karen Gordon, a Canadian philanthropist, in 2011.

Other notable members

* Lady Diana Beauclerk (née Spencer) (1734–1808), eldest child of the Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, was artist and Lady of the Bedchamber to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen Charlotte from 1762 to 1768. * Lord Charles Spencer (1740–1820), second son of the Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, was Postmaster General of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1806 and Master of the Mint in 1806. * William Spencer (poet), William Robert Spencer (1769–1834), younger son of Lord Charles Spencer, became a poet and wit. * Aubrey Spencer, Aubrey George Spencer (1795–1872), son of the poet William Spencer (poet), William Robert Spencer, became the first Diocese of Newfoundland#Bishops, Bishop of Newfoundland in 1839, later Bishop of Jamaica. * George Spencer (bishop), George John Trevor Spencer (1799–1866), son of the poet William Spencer (poet), William Robert Spencer, became Diocese of Madras of the Church of South India, Bishop of Madras in 1837. * Ignatius Spencer, George Spencer (1799–1864), son of the 2nd Earl Spencer. He was first an Anglican priest, converted to Catholicism to become a

priest as ''Father Ignatius'', worked as a

and is now a candidate for

. * General Augustus Spencer, Sir Augustus Almeric Spencer, Most Honourable Order of the Bath, GCB (1807–1893), third son of Francis Almeric Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill (1779–1845). * Lord Randolph Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill, publicly known as ''Lord Randolph Churchill'' (1849–1895), son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough,

and Leader of the House of Commons, father of Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. * The Reverend Canon (priest), Canon Henry Spencer Stephenson, Master's degree, M.A. (1871-1957), Chaplain to George VI, King George VI and Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth II. * Randolph Churchill, Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer-Churchill, publicly known as ''Randolph Churchill'' (1911–1968), son of Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. * Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (born 1929), maid of honour to Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953. * Lady Kitty Spencer (born 1990), daughter of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer * Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp (born 1994), son of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer

Members of the Order of the Garter

Many members of the Spencer family have also been knights or dames of the Order of the Garter. The following is a list is of all Spencer members of this order, across all branches of the family, along with their year of investiture. * 1601 – Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer * 1687 –

* 1719 – Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland * 1741 – Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough * 1768 – George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough * 1799 – George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer * 1849 – Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer * 1865 – John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer * 1868 – John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough * 1902 – Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough * 1913 – Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer * 1953 –

* 2005 – Mary Soames, Baroness Soames, Mary, Baroness Soames, née Spencer-Churchill

Coat of arms

Family tree

Spencer origins

Barons Spencer of Wormleighton and Earls of Sunderland

Dukes of Marlborough

Earls Spencer

For the Earls Spencer from John Spencer to present see: Earl Spencer (peerage)#Family Tree, Family Tree of the Earls Spencer.

Barons and Viscounts Churchill

References

Bibliography

*Round, J.H. (1901) ''Studies in Peerage and Family History,'' A. Constable and Company, London.

External links

Spencer Family Tree, Althorp.com

Family tree and information
– Archived link * http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~djmurphy/conn/washington.htm

Heraldry of the House of Spencer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer Family Spencer family, Noble families of the United Kingdom