Explore the Family Name Spier
The meaning of Spier
1. English and Scottish: occupational name from Middle English spier(e) ‘spy, watchman, scout’ (Old French espierre, espieur). 2. English: variant of Spear. 3. German: nickname for a physically small person, from Middle Low German spīr ‘trifle, small piece’. 4. German: habitational name from any of several places called Spier, named with the old element spir ‘(muddy) water’, notably the city in the Palatinate, now spelled Speyer (see Speyer). 5. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Spiro. Some characteristic forenames: German Erhardt, Gerd, Ewald, Ilse, Kurt, Monika, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Spier in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Spier has slightly decreased over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked 16,341st most popular, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 16,939th position, marking a decrease of approximately 3.66%. However, the count of individuals with the Spier surname actually increased from 1,623 in 2000 to 1,679 in 2010, showing a growth of 3.45%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 also saw a slight decrease from 0.6 in 2000 to 0.57 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,341 | #16,939 | -3.66% |
| Count | 1,623 | 1,679 | 3.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 0.57 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Spier
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides an interesting perspective on the ethnic identity associated with the Spier surname. In 2000, the majority identified as White (94.09%), a percentage that slightly increased to 95.18% by 2010. The proportion of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those reporting two or more races both decreased during this period, from 0.86% to 0.66% and from 1.66% to 1.61%, respectively. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, going from 2.09% in 2000 to 2.32% in 2010. Data for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native was suppressed in 2010 for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.09% | 95.18% | 1.16% |
| Hispanic | 2.09% | 2.32% | 11% |
| Two or More Races | 1.66% | 1.61% | -3.01% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.86% | 0.66% | -23.26% |
| Black | 0.92% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.37% | 0% | 0% |