Surname McSpeerin - Meaning and Origin
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McSpeerin: What does the surname McSpeerin mean?
The last name McSpeerin is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic phrase meaning “son of the piper” and is typically seen as a patronymic name. This term typically indicated that the family was of the professional class, as the piper would have been a respected figure in a community. The presence of the letter “c” at the beginning of the name suggests that the family was once quite prominent and may have associated with noble families as the letter “c” typically indicated ranking.
Originally found in Angus, this surname was commonly found in the North East of Scotland. The village of Midmar was one of the most populous places for the name. In the modern Anglophone nations, the name has adopted a variety of spellings including Macspeerin, McSpeerin, McSpierin, MacSpierin, and others.
Regardless of the spelling, the name typically retains a sense of prestige and status. This is a testament to the family’s respectability and honor among their neighbors. Though not extremely widespread, the name McSpeerin still carries a feeling of pride and renown in Scotland, and a sense of nobility in other parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMcSpeerin: Where does the name McSpeerin come from?
The McSpeerin surname is primarily associated with the United Kingdom. The name is most common in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the borders of England and Wales.
Popular cities throughout Scotland and the UK that have large numbers of people with the McSpeerin name include Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, and London.
The McSpeerin name appears most frequently in Ireland, where it is very common. The name is thought to originate from the surname “MacSpeerin,” which may have been a variation of the Gaelic word “speir,” meaning “point”. The name may also be linked to the word “speir,” meaning “to look.” This could suggest that the name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic phrase “speirean,” which roughly translates as “look out” or “observe.”
The McSpeerin surname is also found in Australia, the United States, and Canada. In Australia, the name is most commonly found in Melbourne, and in the United States and Canada, the name is probably most associated with Michigan and Washington in the U.S. and Ontario in Canada.
Overall, the McSpeerin name is most common in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with pockets of people bearing the name in Australia, the United States, and Canada.
Variations of the surname McSpeerin
McSpeerin is an Anglicized version of the Irish surname MacSpeóraín. This is an Irish-Gaelic surname, derived from the Gaelic word “speóra” meaning “butter”, and “án” meaning “gram”, hence the original meaning of the name is “descendant of one who makes and sells butter”.
The variants of this surname include MacSpeerin, MacSpearin, MacPherrin, MacPherson, MacPerson and MacSpireen.
In the past, surnames were often spelt differently depending on who was scribbling them down, and the spelling of the McSpeerin surname has been seen to take a variety of spellings in records over the centuries. These spellings include MacSpirean and McSpirean, MacSpeeron and McSpeeron, MacSperrin and McSperrin, MacSpiron and McSpiron and MacSperin and McSperin.
This surname has also been seen with various surnames of other origins. It has been seen as McSpeerin/MacSpeeran, combined with MacRobert, MacRobbie, MacRobb, McRobb, MacRob, McRob, MacRobben, McRobben, MacRobinson, McRobinson and MacRobins.
Finally, the English spelling of this Irish surname is Speerin. This spelling could either represent a shortened version of the surname, or it could be a version of Speoring (meaning thief in old Norse).
Famous people with the name McSpeerin
- James McSpeerin: an early Scottish settler, he is credited with leading a group of over a hundred settlers to the new world in 1673.
- David McSpeerin: a philosophy professor at Ohio State University who specializes in the philosophy of religion and the morality of war.
- Gerry McSpeerin: a Scottish actor who has appeared in films such as Highlander and Braveheart.
- Rachel McSpeerin: a popular Australian singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the late 1990s with her hit single ‘Shine On’.
- Angus McSpeerin: an all-star running back in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and Atlanta Falcons.
- Bobby McSpeerin: an accomplished folk singer who achieved international renown after the release of his album ‘The Year of the McSpeerin’ in 2016.
- Tim McSpeerin: a professional golfer who has had several tour wins and is the current holder of The Players Championship.
- Pat McSpeerin: an Irish novelist whose work focus on the lives of Irish immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Marianne McSpeerin: a Canadian politician who was the first woman to serve as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- William McSpeerin: a cutting-edge technology entrepreneur who co-founded the computer accessory company Logitech in 1981.