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ArchivesRe: spears surname?
in reply to a message by melissa spears johnson
One of your ancestors seems to have been a spearman.
Andy ;—)
Andy ;—)
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It could be another spelling of the English and Scottish surname Speirs. According to my sources this derives from SPIER, "a watchman."
Speirs is also found as a Jewish surname, no doubt one of several alternative spellings of the German place-name Speyer.
Speirs is also found as a Jewish surname, no doubt one of several alternative spellings of the German place-name Speyer.
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Thank you, Jim! This sounds very interesting, especially the Speyer part, as I live near Speyer (where did you find this one). But the step from Speirs to Spears seems to be little more than guessing; or is there there any evidence?
Andy ;—)
Andy ;—)
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I just thought that as Spears would be pronounced exactly like Speirs an alternative spelling might develop. They often do. I'm thinking, for example, of the Sots name Baird, which sometimes became Beard when removed from its home.
Speirs for Speyer is also a guess. Bentzion Kaganoff's Dictionary of Jewish Surnames is my main source in that area. The Encyclopedia Judaica can be helpful too under individual names. There seem to be several attenuated forms of Speyer as Jewish surnames - Spire, Spiro, even Shapiro. Speirs might be another form, adapted to the English language.
Speirs for Speyer is also a guess. Bentzion Kaganoff's Dictionary of Jewish Surnames is my main source in that area. The Encyclopedia Judaica can be helpful too under individual names. There seem to be several attenuated forms of Speyer as Jewish surnames - Spire, Spiro, even Shapiro. Speirs might be another form, adapted to the English language.
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