Surname Spira - Meaning and Origin
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Spira: What does the surname Spira mean?
The surname Spira has Jewish (Ashkenazic) origins. It is derived from the name of a medieval town called Speyer, located in Rhineland Palatinate, Germany. The town was a historical center of Ashkenazic Jewry, hosting one of the earliest Jewish communities in the region. Jews from the town were known as "Spira", meaning "from Speyer". Over time, it became a surname that was passed down through generations. Though it does not have a specific meaning beyond its geographical origins, it identifies a lineage associated with the Jewish community of the historic town.
Order DNA origin analysisSpira: Where does the name Spira come from?
The last name Spira is most commonly found throughout Austria and the German-speaking areas of Europe. The name is sometimes found across parts of Eastern Europe as well, primarily in Slovenia and Croatia.
Spira is a surname that is derived from the old German-Austrian word “sperrgegend”, which translates to “winding, circling, sphering”. It is thought to have been originally used as a sign of geographical origin, denoting that someone's family came from the higher, windier areas of the Alps.
The name Spira is also prevalent in the United States and Canada, where it is often seen in the form of Spirka or Speer. Immigrants coming to the New World from these areas brought the name with them and it has become quite commonplace over time.
In addition, Spira can also be found in South America, in countries such as Brazil. The growth of the name there is most likely due to the large number of Austrian and East European settlers who arrived in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The name Spira is still quite common in many parts of the world today. It is most visible in areas of Europe and North America where those of Germanic and Eastern European descent are especially prominent.
Variations of the surname Spira
The surname Spira is of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, and is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word sefer, which means book or scroll. Variants of the surname, its spellings, and names of the same origin include Speier, Speyers, Spiera, Spyra, Spiro, and Spirah.
Speier is believed to be the earliest recorded form of the Spira surname, first appearing during the 13th century in the German Empire. It originates from the name of an ancient German town called Speyer, which was located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. Speyer is thought to have been derived from Sefer, which suggests that the Speier surname has roots in the German territories even before Ashkenazi Jews entered during Medieval times.
Speyers is a variant of Speier, and is derived from the name of the town. It is also spelled as Spiera, Spyra, and Sapir.
Spiro is a derivation of the Greek word spire, meaning "coil," and is believed to have been adopted as a surname by Greek and Jewish families centuries ago. It was used as a name to denote someone who was entwined in family ties.
Spirah is another variant of the Spira surname, created by adding the suffix “-ah” to the name. This was mainly used in Jewish families that had Ashkenazi roots.
Overall, the many variants and spelling of the surname Spira all derive from its Jewish and German roots, and were likely adopted to demonstrate loyalty to a family or a particular region.
Famous people with the name Spira
- Simcha Spira: Best known for leading and organizing the defense of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.
- Sarah Spira: A Dutch actress.
- Til Spira: A Swiss professional ice hockey player.
- Elan Spira: A British Olympian swimmer.
- Melissa Spira: An American television news anchor and reporter.
- Lydia Spira: An Austrian figure skater.
- Irving Spira: An American lawyer and civic leader.
- Joyce Spira: A renowned American journalist and author.
- Lazar Spira: A Hungarian religious teacher.
- Eugene Spira: An American musician and composer.