Explore the Family Name Speer
The meaning of Speer
1. German and Dutch: from Middle High German, Middle Dutch sper ‘spear’, hence a nickname for a tall, thin person, or else for a skilled user of the hunting spear. In part, it may also have been a metonymic occupational name for a maker of spears. 2. German: nickname for someone thought to resemble a sparrow, Middle High German spar(e) ‘sparrow’. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Speyer. 4. Irish (northern): variant of Speir. 5. English (London): variant of Spear.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Speer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Speer slightly dipped between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, this surname ranked 2806 in popularity and dropped to 3041 by 2010, reflecting a decrease of 8.37%. Despite the drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Speer name slightly increased from 11,749 to 11,770 during the same period. This means that while more people have this surname, its relative popularity compared to other surnames has decreased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,806 | #3,041 | -8.37% |
| Count | 11,749 | 11,770 | 0.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.36 | 3.99 | -8.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Speer
When considering the ethnic identity associated with the surname Speer, there have been notable shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest percentage increase was seen in those identifying as Hispanic, which rose from 2.68% to 3.64%, a change of 35.82%. Asian/Pacific Islander identities also saw a significant increase of 31.11%, rising from 0.45% to 0.59%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased slightly from 93.23% to 91.64%. Minor increases were observed in the percentages of those identifying as Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and those claiming two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.23% | 91.64% | -1.71% |
| Hispanic | 2.68% | 3.64% | 35.82% |
| Black | 1.62% | 1.78% | 9.88% |
| Two or More Races | 1.43% | 1.74% | 21.68% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.59% | 0.61% | 3.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.59% | 31.11% |
Speer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Speer is British & Irish, which comprises 53.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.3%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.5% |
| French & German | 26.3% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Speer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Speer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 87.80% |
What Speer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Speer is I-CTS616, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-CTS616 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include I-M223 and I-Z2058, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Spears, Coulter, Olmos, Spear, Belden, Waldo, Luce, Veach, Brinkman, Trapp.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Speer surname are: H1, U5a1a1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Speer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Speer" Surname 44.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Speer" Surname 32.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Speer" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Speer" Surname 20.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Speer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Speer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition