Surname Spiring - Meaning and Origin

Spiring: What does the surname Spiring mean?

The last name Spiring has its origins in England, and is a locational name derived from a place with the same name in West Yorkshire. The place name Spiring was recorded in the tax rolls of 1274, and is thought to have been derived from the Old English words ‘springa’ and ‘hyrst’, meaning a wooded hill or ridge.

The Spiring surname then likely began as a topographic name for someone who lived on a high point of a hill or ridge. Over time, the family was associated with the place, and the name became a hereditary last name.

Today, the Spiring surname is fairly uncommon in either the UK or the US. It’s currently most prevalent in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

The Spiring surname is a reminder of the importance of geography in surnames. It demonstrates how the name of a place can be carried on for generations, and how an occupational or topographic surname can become hereditary over time.

Spiring: Where does the name Spiring come from?

The last name Spiring is most commonly found in the English-speaking world today. In terms of countries, it is most commonly seen in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The name is especially prominent in England, with a concentration in East Anglia in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk, and greater London and the Midlands.

In Canada, the Spiring name is mainly concentrated in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, though it is found across the country. In the United States, the name is mostly concentrated in the Midwest and West Coast areas, though it is scattered throughout other states as well. In Australia and New Zealand, the name is mainly seen in the larger cities.

In terms of percentages, the name Spiring makes up approximately 0.0001% of the population in the English-speaking world, which makes it a rare but not incredibly rare surname.

Variations of the surname Spiring

The surname Spiring is a British surname, most commonly found in the East of England. It is first recorded in England in 1109 with a variant spelling of Spiringe. It is possible that the name originated in the East of England area around Suffolk.

The most common spelling of ‘Spiring’ is as it is marked above. However, ‘Spiringe’ and ‘Spering’ are also accepted variants of the surname.

In terms of related surnames, ‘Spriengaius’, ‘Sprien’, ‘Speringes’ and ‘Sprieng’ have all also been found throughout the East of England.

Spelling mistakes over the centuries, compounded with deregulation of spelling rules, mean that many surnames have a wide variety of spellings; all but the most recent variants will have remained unaffected by the modern regulations imposed upon spellings.

The most common spelling, ‘Spiring’, was recorded in 1166, in the records of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex. The spelling Spiring also appears in many other documents dating from the same period, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 for Leicestershire and the Subsidy Rolls from Yorkshire for the same year. The spelling of ‘Sprieng’ or something similar appears in documents such as the Feet of Fines from Essex and Norfolk from 1207.

To summarise, ‘Spiring’ is the most common variant of the surname. Variants and related surnames include: Spiringe, Spering, Spriengaius, Sprien and Speringes.

Famous people with the name Spiring

• Ed Spriging: Canadian actor best known for his roles in Murdoch Mysteries and Schitt's Creek.
• Elizabeth Spiring: Canadian businessman and former CFO of Loblaw Companies, Ltd.
• Evan Spiring: Entrepreneur and founder of AppDirect, an online platform for cloud service delivery.
• Gary Spiring: Chairman of credit scoring and analytics business Equifax Canada.
• Jane Spriging: Australian author and former CEO of the Brisbane City Council.
• Joshua Spiring: American entrepreneur and co-founder of the ride-sharing company Lyft.
• Leonard Spriging: British businessman and chairman of insurance broker Marsh & McLennan UK.
• Richard Spriging: Composer, conductor, and music director of the American Theatre.
• Shannon Spiring: Canadian actress known for her roles in the films Deadpool, Pacific Rim Uprising, and The Maze Runner.
• Sherry Spiring: Canadian businesswoman and Managing Director of the venture capital firm OMERS Ventures.

Other surnames

SpirinSpiritt