Surname Speight - Meaning and Origin

“Unraveling Personal Identity and Heritage: A Journey Begun with a Speight Surname”

My iGENEA DNA test took me on an unpredictable journey of self-discovery that blurred the demarcation lines between the personal and the global. This voyage not only presented me with a new canvas upon which to reconfigure my understanding of identity, but it also illuminated the weight my surname, Speight, carries within the tapestry of human history.

V. Speight

Speight: What does the surname Speight mean?

The last name Speight is of Anglo-Saxon origin and was first found in the counties of Cumberland and Northumberland in England. The name derives from the Old English term "specan," which means to speak or discourse. The suffix "sige," giving the name the meaning of "victory," was later added making it Speight. It was most commonly given as a nickname to a spokesperson or a speaker. For instance, in a medieval court proceeding, the Speight was likely the one designated to speak on behalf of a particular group. The name could also have occupational roots, referring to someone who was a public speaker or an actor. Over time, the name spread to other parts of England before being carried to other English-speaking nations by settlers and migrants from the British Isles. Therefore, the surname Speight signifies a person with the gift of eloquence and persuasive speech.

Speight: Where does the name Speight come from?

The last name Speight is a very common surname, primarily found in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

In the United States, the Speight name is most prominent in North Carolina, where the family originated in the 1600s. It has been estimated that over 23,000 people with the last name Speight currently live in the United States.

The Speight surname is also very common in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. It is thought that over 34,000 people with the Speight last name currently reside in the United Kingdom.

In Canada, the Speight surname is most commonly found in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. It is estimated that over 38,000 Canadians have the last name Speight.

Australia is another English-speaking country where the Speight surname is very common. Over 20,000 individuals with the Speight last name currently live in Australia.

Finally, New Zealand also has a large population of individuals with the surname Speight. Approximately 10,000 people with the Speight name live in New Zealand today.

All in all, there are millions of people around the globe with the last name Speight; it is a testament to the family's long history of successful migration around the world.

Variations of the surname Speight

Origin of Speight

Speight is an English surname derived from the Old English word speht, which meant "woods". The surname itself is believed to have come into use during the medieval period, when families began to adopt fixed surnames for identity purposes. It is likely that the Speight family name originated with a family living in a wooded area or those living at a house distinguished by the sign of a wood.

Variants, Spellings and Surnames

Variants of Speight include Speight, Spite, Spright, Spryght, Spryte and Sprete. Spellings of Speight are Specht and Speit. Speight is also a variant of the Scottish surname Spight, derived from the Middle English term spyght or spight, which means “only son.” Other surnames of similar origin include Spight, Spighte, Spite, Spightman, Speightman, Spightmon, Spightean and Spightere.

Famous people with the name Speight

• Marcus Speight: professional basketball player and TV host.
• Patricio Speight: Brazilian footballer.
• Frank Speight: English footballer.
• Jeh Speight: American soccer player.
• Raymond Speight: American football player.
• John Speight: American football coach.
• Lawrence Speight: American swimmer and multiple Olympic gold medalist.
• LeVar Speight: American film producer and director.
• William Speight: British academic and professor of Law.
• David Speight: professional cyclist and Olympian.
• Roger Speight: British actor.
• Rebecca Speight: Australian rugby union player.
• John Speight Jr.: Australian politician.
• April Speight: New Zealand poet.
• Amanda Speight: English sports broadcaster.
• Charles Warrior Speight: British naval officer.
• Maria Speight: British tennis player.
• Lisle Speight: American biochemist.
• Antoine Speight: American football player.
• Jo Speight: British TV presenter.

Other surnames

Speigner