Contents [hide]

Speer History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Speer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Speer

What does the name Speer mean?

The Speer surname comes from the Old English word "spere," meaning "spear." It may have originally been a nickname for a tall skinny person, or perhaps for a hunter skilled at using the spear. Alternatively, the could have been used for a "watchman or lookout man." 1 2 3

Another source notes: "Spere, to ask, to inquire; a word used formerly in Scotland and the north of Ireland." 4

Early Origins of the Speer family

The surname Speer was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.

Further to the south in Yorkshire, England, the first record of the family was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 when Robertas Spyer was listed there at that time. 2

By the 16th century, Richard Spyre was listed as attending Oxford University in 1515; and George Speris was listed in Stirling, Scotland in 1548. 3

Early History of the Speer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Speer research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1417, 1475, 1626, 1664, 1807, 1846, 1869, 1884 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Speer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Speer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Speir, Spier, Spears, Speirs, Spiers, Speer, Speers, Spere, Speres, Spire, Spires, Speyer, Speier, Speery and many more.

Early Notables of the Speer family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Speir of Edinburgh, a merchant, 1626. Alexander Spiers (1807-1869), the English lexicographer, was born at Gosport in Hampshire in 1807. He studied in England, in Germany, and in Paris and graduated doctor of philosophy at Leipzig. For fourteen...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Speer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Speer Ranking

In the United States, the name Speer is the 2,292^nd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Speer family to Ireland

Some of the Speer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Speer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Speer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Speer, who landed in Maryland in 1665 6

Speer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Andrew Speer, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1812 6
Moses Speer, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 6
James Speer, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 6
John Michael Speer, who arrived in America in 1832 6
Thomas Speer, who arrived in Texas in 1835 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Speer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Speer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mary A. Speer, aged 27, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Nashwauk" 7
William Speer, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "North"
Elizabeth Speer, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "North"
Elizabeth Speer, aged 51, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Ramillies" 8
Jane Speer, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Ramillies" 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Speer (post 1700) +

Roy Merrill Speer Jr. (1932-2012), American attorney, entrepreneur and former CEO, co-founder and chairman of the Home Shopping Network
Robert M. Speer (b. 1956), American Acting United States Secretary of the Army in 2017
George Thomas "Dad" Speer (1891-1966), American co-founder of The Speer Family with this wife Lena Darling ("Mom") Speer, a Southern gospel family musical group in 1921
Robert Milton Speer (1838-1890), American politician, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania (1871-1875)
Thomas Jefferson Speer (1837-1872), American politician, U.S. Representative from Georgia (1871-1872)
Rosa Nell Speer (1922-2017), also known as Rosa Nell Powell, American southern gospel singer who sang with the well-known Speer Family Gospel Choir
Ben Lacy Speer (1930-2017), American singer, musician, music publisher, and record company executive
Floyd Vernie Speer (1913-1969), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1943 to 1944 for the Chicago White Sox
Sergeant First Class Christopher Christopher James Speer (1973-2002), U.S. Army combat medic and an member of a special operations team who was fatally wounded during a skirmish in Afghanistan on July 27, 2002
Emory Speer (1848-1918), American politician, soldier and lawyer, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1878 to 1882
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Speer family +

USS Indianapolis

Lowell Elvis Speer, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 9

The Speer Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Advance

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nashwauk 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
South Australian Register Tuesday 11 January 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAMILLIES 1860. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ramillies1860.shtml
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew