Surname Spears - Meaning and Origin

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P. Spears

Spears: What does the surname Spears mean?

The last name "Spears" is of English and Scottish origin and is derived from the Old English word "spere," meaning "spear." It is thought to be a metonymic occupational surname for a maker or seller of spears, or possibly a nickname for a tall, thin person. It could also signify a "spearman," indicating a warrior or soldier. Traditionally, family names are unique to particular geographical locations. The last name "Spears" is most common in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and it originated in the British Isles. It is also considered an Anglo-Saxon surname. Like most family names, it was passed down through generations. Note that the meanings and origins of a surname may vary, owing to various cultural influences, language impositions, and periods of migrations or invasions.

Spears: Where does the name Spears come from?

The last name Spears is most commonly found in the United States, specifically concentrated in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. In the U.S. in 2018, it ranked as the 906th most common surname. It has a prevalence of 0.063%.

Spears is derived from the Middle English word "spere," meaning spear. It is also an occupational name, deriving from people who worked as armorers and carried spears for protection.

In the United States, Spears is particularly concentrated in the region around the lower Mississippi River Valley. It has a resonance here; the name had been established in the state of Mississippi since as early as 1811. Many of the earliest settlements in the region were established by people that bore this surname.

Additionally, the popularity of the name Spears can be attributed to Spears family members who served in both the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War.

In Great Britain, the name Spears is a rare name today, but more common in Scotland. In 1927, the name ranked 332nd in Scotland, and 16th in the district of Glasgow.

Overall, the last name Spears has had an influence on many regions of the world - from the United States to Scotland. It has deep historical roots, and is still a relatively common surname today.

Variations of the surname Spears

The surname Spears is commonly known to denote a person or family who was a maker of spears or other weapons. The name has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin that have developed over hundreds of years.

Variants of the surname include Spear and Speers. These variations of the name are quite noticeable when looking at different geographical locations. For instance, Spear was a common form in England and Speers in Scotland.

The surname has a variety of spellings including Speares, Speer, Spiers, Speirs, Speer, Spire, Spier, Spyres, and Speyr. While some of these are probably from small transformations of the spelling, some may have occurred due to the preferences of the scribes recording the names in the past.

Some surnames of the same origin include Spearman, Spearin, Orr-Spears, Sparling, Spearpoint, Spearey, Speary, Sparrow, and Spore. Again, as with the variations in spellings, the alternate surnames of the same origins trace their roots back to different locations. Spearman and Spearin are likely from England and Scotland respectively, whereas Spore and Sprowl are likely from the United States.

Ultimately, the surname Spears has a variety of forms and ages of origin. While its etymology can be traced back to the makers of spears, subsequent developments such as geographical location, language preferences, and cultural influences have resulted in many variants, spellings, and alternate surnames of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Spears

• Britney Spears: Britney Spears is an American singer, songwriter, actress, author, and dancer. She is one of the most successful and iconic female recording artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
• Jamie Lynn Spears: Jamie Lynn Spears is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Zoey Brooks on the Nickelodeon Teen sitcom Zoey 101.
• Bryan Spears: Bryan Spears is a producer and director. He has produced and directed numerous television series and movies, notably The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana.
• Jamie Spears: Jamie Spears, also known as ‘Paparazzi Jamie', is Britney Spears' father, manager, and representative.
• Alli Sims: Alli Sims is an American vocalist, dancer, and choreographer. She is best known for her appearances in music videos of Britney Spears.
• Bryan Kent Spears: Bryan Kent Spears is an American actor, stuntman, and television and film producer. He was the stunt coordinator for the Zoey 101 series starring his sister Jamie Lynn Spears.
• Bryan James Spears: Bryan James Spears is an American actor and producer known for his roles in films such as Crossroads (2002) and Ocean's 11 (2001).
• Joseph P. Spears: Joseph P. Spears is an American retired Brigadier General who served in the United States Army from 1966 to 2004.
• Roderick Spears: Roderick Spears is an actor and director. He is best known for his work on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show and Kenan & Kel.
• Tennessee James Spears: Tennessee James Spears is an American novelist. His debut novel, “The Great American Novel: A road trip in search of America’s identity,” was published in 2013.

Other surnames

SpearspeareSpearinSpearingSpearman