Surname Speiser - Meaning and Origin

Speiser: What does the surname Speiser mean?

The last name Speiser is likely of German origin. It derives from the Old German word speiser, meaning “provisioner” or “provider.”

In Middle High German and modern German, it is spelled Spiesser. This likely suggests that the original surname spelling was Spiesser instead of Speiser.

Speiser is a fairly common surname in Germany. According to Ancestry.com, it is the forty-third most common surname in Germany, with certain areas having a greater concentration of individuals bearing the Speiser surname.

Historically, the Speiser surname was likely first adopted by people who worked as purveyors or providers of food or other supplies. The Speiser surname could possibly have been acquired by Jewish individuals who prepared food for their communities. It may also have been given by those providing supplies to larger communities, such as merchants selling food.

Throughout the centuries, Speiser has been used as a surname by many individuals and families around the world. Today, Speiser remains a popular and fairly common surname in many parts of the world.

Speiser: Where does the name Speiser come from?

The last name Speiser is an Ashkenazi Jewish surname of German origin and is most commonly found in Germany, the United States, Israel, South Africa and various other countries around the world.

In Germany, the Speiser surname can predominantly be found in the cities of Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Dresden, Hannover and Stuttgart and also throughout the regions of Lower Saxony, Hesse and Bavaria.

In the United States, there are approximately 4,500 estimated people carrying the Speiser surname. The U.S. states that have the highest population of Speiser are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Florida, California, Ohio and Illinois.

In Israel, the Speiser surname is mainly found in the cities of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ashdod, Netanya, Beer Sheva and Rishon LeZion.

The Speiser surname is also present in South Africa, specifically in the cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Benoni.

Other countries where the Speiser surname is primarily seen are Canada, France, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Speiser

The surname Speiser is derived from the German word Speiser which means ‘provider’ or ‘distributor.’ The most common variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are Speiser, Speiserow, Speisser, Speiserer, Spiser, Speiss, Speise, Speesser, Spieser, Spiesser, Spisser, Spies, and Spees.

Speiser is most commonly found in areas of Germany, such as Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia. It is also very common in Austria and Switzerland. Speiser has a wide range of spelling variations in countries and regions other than Germany and Austria, such as Speiserow, Speisser, and Speiserer. Spiser, Speiss, and Speise are some of the more rare variants while Speesser, Spieser, Spiesser, Spisser, Spies, and Spees are much more common.

Speiser is also a Jewish surname. Jews would have taken on the name in the Middle Ages as an occupational surname, and the spelling variants typically reflect the dialects and regions that the Jewish families lived in. In Germany and Austria, the name is still very much associated with the Jewish people.

In the United States, Speiser is also a fairly common name, as immigrants from Europe likely brought with them the name when moving around the world. It is generally believed that the spelling of the surname in the United States has stayed much closer to the original forms of the name rather than those in other parts of Europe.

In summary, the surname Speiser has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, such as Speiserow, Speisser, Speiserer, Spiser, Speiss, Speise, Speesser, Spieser, Spiesser, Spisser, Spies, and Spees. The name is also associated with the Jewish people and is relatively common in Europe, the United States, and other parts of the world.

Famous people with the name Speiser

• Eric Speiser: Eric Speiser is an American sports play-by-play broadcaster. He is best known for his work on national soccer broadcasts for both ESPN and Fox Sports, as well as for local broadcasts for the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer.
• Oskar Speiser: Oskar Speiser (1878-1961) was a Swiss pediatrician and child psychiatrist. His research focused on the internalization of traumatic experiences and adaptation problems in children. He was the founder of the child and adolescent psychology division at the University of Zurich.
• Franz Speiser: Franz Speiser (1861-1933) was an Austrian psychiatrist and the first professor of psychiatry at the University of Vienna. His research focused on the effects of psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, neurology, and neuropathy on psychiatric patients.
• Robert G. Speiser: Robert G. Speiser (1920-1997) was an American attorney and civil rights lawyer. He was a leading constitutional lawyer of his time, specializing in cases related to public education, civil liberties, and civil rights.
• Louis Speiser: Louis Speiser (1901-1978) was an American banker and philanthropist. He was the founder and managing director of American Trust and Savings Bank, which eventually became part of Bank of America.
• Simon Speiser: Simon Speiser (1892-1942) was a Swiss medical doctor, scientist, and professor. He was the founder and head of the Institute of Medical Physics at the University of Zurich. He was best known for his contributions to the field of radiobiology and his research of neutron radiation therapy.

Other surnames

Speisekorn