Submitted Surname Revision History

The name Spiegelman is a name with both German and Jewish origins. In German the word "Spiegel" translates to "mirror". Also "Mann" translates to "man". So one could interpret the name to mean "mirror man" or less often "man of the mirror". The German side likely originated as a nickname for someone who was as reflective or clear as a mirror in personality. On the Jewish side this name is associated with the Ashkenazi Jewish community. It is a patronymic name derived from the Yiddish word for "mirror" which is "shpigl". This name and many other Jewish names likely originated during the Middle Ages when Jewish families were required to take on a surname. This name was likely given to Jews handy at working with mirrors and other glasses. Today the surname is used by people of both German and Jewish ethnicity. Most notable person with this name is Art Spiegelman who wrote the famous graphic novel/comic "Maus".