Surname Speicher - Meaning and Origin

Speicher: What does the surname Speicher mean?

The last name Speicher is of German origin and it translates to "storehouse" or "granary" in English. It was generally used to denote a person who was a granary or storehouse keeper, which was an important occupation in medieval Europe. This surname falls under the category of occupational surnames, which are based on the common professions of the populace during the period when surnames came into common use. Thus, the surname Speicher could point towards the ancestral profession of the lineage. Each region in Germany used different terminologies to denote occupations, so the surname could also indicate the geographic location of the person’s ancestors. However, like many surnames, over time, its initial meaning and connection to its bearer's occupation may have become obscure or lost.

Speicher: Where does the name Speicher come from?

The last name Speicher is most commonly found in the United States and Germany. In the United States, it is primarily concentrated in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland. It is believed to have originated from Germany but the exact origin is unknown. In Germany, the Speicher surname is most prominently found in the states of Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate. The name is also found in small to moderate numbers in Switzerland, France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

In the United States, descendants of the Speicher family are found in western, southwestern, and Midwestern states such as Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, and Texas. Additionally, the name is also found in New England states such as Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In general, the Speicher surname is a rare one, but it has spread across the world more than many other surnames of German origin.

Variations of the surname Speicher

The surname Speicher is an old German and Dutch surname derived from the Middle High German word Speicher, which translates to “granary” or “granary keeper.” Variants of this name include Spicher, Specher, Speeker, Spiker, Speiche, Speeckaert, Speyckaert, Speycker, Spijkher, Speiker, Speickelmeyer, and Spieckermann.

Speicher is most commonly found in Germany, where it was first found in Bavaria. The earliest historical records of this name date back to the mid-1400s with Ambrosius Speicher from the city of Nuremberg.

Speicher is also a popular family surname in the Netherlands, where it is also spelled Speckaert, Speycker, Spijker, and Speiker. One of the earliest records of this name in the Netherlands is found with Cornelis Specker in 1608.

The name Speicher is also found in the United States today, where it was first brought by German immigrants in the late 19th century and early 20th century. One of the earliest records of Speicher in the United States is found with Peter Speicher from Pennsylvania in 1784.

Variations of this surname, such as Speickelmeyer and Spieckermann, are found all over the world, but are especially prevalent in the German-speaking countries of Europe.

Famous people with the name Speicher

• Captain Scott Speicher: a United States Navy aviator who was shot down over Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991 and was presumed killed in action until his remains were identified in 2009.
• Dale Speicher: an American artist who became one of the foremost practitioners of the American Realism art movement.
• Paul Speicher: an American lawyer and former politician, who served in numerous positions in Wisconsin state government, including state Assembly, state Senate, and Secretary of State from 1977 to 1987.
• Gordon Speicher: an American poet whose work captures a unique blend of despair and humor, as he explores the mysterious justifications for human suffering.
• Edwin Speicher: an American photographer and cinematographer who worked with National Geographic Magazine from 1910-1920 and was famous for his photographs of cultures and wildlife.
• Forrest Speicher: an American actor who was notably active in Broadway of the 1950s and early 1960s.
• Barry Speicher: an American racing driver from Mobile, Alabama who competed in the Busch Series from 1983 to 2001, and at Daytona International Speedway in 1985.
• Gretchen Speicher: an American poet, children's playwright, and philanthropist, remembered for her philanthropic contribution to the advancement of the arts, particularly theater and literature.
• Tom Speicher: an American horror fiction author, most remembered for his short stories and novels of the macabre and supernatural, and for his public lecture series on supernatural horror and its themes.
• Alan Speicher: an American attorney, lobbyist, political operative, and fundraiser who worked for former U.S. president Harry S. Truman, former United Nations Secretary-General U Thant, and the state of Florida.

Other surnames

SpeichermannSpeichert