NameCensus.

UK surname

Speirs

A surname derived from the Scottish word "speir," meaning a small rounded hill or peak.

In the 1881 census there were 1,179 people recorded with the Speirs surname, ranking it #3,415 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,082, ranked #2,187, up from #3,415 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bute, Rothesay Town and West Calder and Polbeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Speirs is 3,083 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 161.4%.

1881 census count

1,179

Ranked #3,415

Modern count

3,082

2016, ranked #2,187

Peak year

2010

3,083 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Speirs had 1,179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,415 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,082 in 2016, ranked #2,187.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,811 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Speirs surname distribution map

The map shows where the Speirs surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Speirs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Speirs over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 760 #3,504
1861 historical 930 #2,985
1881 historical 1,179 #3,415
1891 historical 1,380 #3,147
1901 historical 1,811 #2,895
1911 historical 356 #10,148
1997 modern 2,808 #2,298
1998 modern 2,907 #2,316
1999 modern 2,952 #2,293
2000 modern 2,987 #2,254
2001 modern 2,895 #2,277
2002 modern 2,938 #2,296
2003 modern 2,854 #2,305
2004 modern 2,851 #2,310
2005 modern 2,884 #2,249
2006 modern 2,902 #2,231
2007 modern 2,950 #2,219
2008 modern 2,986 #2,197
2009 modern 3,021 #2,231
2010 modern 3,083 #2,234
2011 modern 3,049 #2,230
2012 modern 3,014 #2,212
2013 modern 3,055 #2,225
2014 modern 3,075 #2,226
2015 modern 3,062 #2,208
2016 modern 3,082 #2,187

Geography

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Where Speirs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bute, Rothesay Town, West Calder and Polbeth, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Paisley North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bute Argyll and Bute
2 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
3 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
4 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
5 Paisley North Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Speirs

These lists show first names that appear often with the Speirs surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Speirs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Speirs, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Speirs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Speirs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Speirs is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Speirs is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Speirs falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Speirs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Speirs, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Speirs

The surname Speirs has its origins in Scotland, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. This name is derived from the Old English word "spere," which means "spear," indicating a possible occupational origin for someone who made or carried spears.

Historically, the name was closely associated with the region of Lanarkshire in central Scotland, particularly in areas around the town of Rutherglen. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where a John de Speyr is listed as having sworn fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Speyr, Spere, and Speer, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period. One notable example is Sir John Speer, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 1300s.

As the centuries progressed, the Speirs family established themselves as influential landowners and prominent figures in Scottish society. In the 16th century, John Speirs of Elderslie was a renowned lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1558 to 1565.

Another notable figure was William Speirs (1609-1671), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded the Speirs School in Glasgow, which provided education for underprivileged children. This school remained in operation until the late 19th century.

In the 18th century, Archibald Speirs (1720-1783) was a renowned Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Old College of the University of Edinburgh and the Assembly Rooms on George Street.

The name Speirs has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Speirs Wharf in Glasgow and Speirs Bridge in Edinburgh, reflecting the family's influence and historical presence in these areas.

Throughout history, the Speirs surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including academics, artists, and military leaders, further contributing to its rich heritage and enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Speirs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Speirs surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 509 Speirs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.78x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 509 13.78x
Renfrewshire 234 26.43x
Ayrshire 122 14.27x
Stirlingshire 40 9.49x
Midlothian 37 2.42x
Angus 28 2.65x
Perthshire 18 3.51x
Lancashire 17 0.13x
Berwickshire 14 10.12x
Selkirkshire 14 13.55x
Dunbartonshire 13 4.23x
East Lothian 12 7.93x
Middlesex 12 0.11x
Surrey 11 0.20x
Inverness-shire 10 2.93x
Durham 9 0.26x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 5.44x
Buteshire 8 11.56x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.66x
Northumberland 7 0.41x
Argyllshire 5 1.57x
Essex 5 0.22x
Roxburghshire 5 2.42x
Fife 4 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.26x
West Lothian 3 1.74x
Wigtownshire 3 1.98x
Yorkshire 3 0.03x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.06x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.40x
Kent 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.73x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 119 Speirs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.02x.

Place Total Index
Govan 119 13.02x
Barony 92 9.84x
Glasgow 77 11.74x
Abbey 60 44.42x
Blantyre 34 88.40x
Hamilton 34 33.00x
Shettleston 34 102.78x
Kilmarnock 27 26.54x
Neilston 27 60.76x
Paisley High Church 27 38.31x
West Kilbride 26 319.41x
Bothwell 25 24.96x
Dundee 25 6.33x
East Greenock 21 25.12x
Rutherglen 16 29.52x
Cambuslang 15 40.28x
Paisley Low Church 14 49.96x
Paisley Middle Church 13 25.22x
Port Glasgow 13 30.37x
Falkirk 12 12.17x
Kilbarchan 12 44.63x
Polmont 12 77.17x
Renfrew 12 41.05x
Galashiels 11 28.79x
Kilmalcolm 11 103.68x
Auchterarder 10 69.88x
Camberwell 10 1.37x
Houston Killallan 10 116.69x
Largs 10 49.65x
New Monkland 10 9.16x
North Leith 10 14.12x
Old Monkland 10 6.82x
Tarbolton 10 71.07x
Carnwath 9 39.40x
St Ninians 9 21.55x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 1.30x
Inverness 8 9.32x
Maryhill 8 11.06x
West Greenock 8 5.03x
Humbie 7 196.08x
Kilmory 7 69.44x
Langton 7 353.54x
Bonhill 6 12.18x
Cambusnethan 6 7.31x
Carstairs 6 78.43x
East Kilbride 6 37.93x
Fogo 6 327.87x
Haltwhistle 6 72.73x
Inveresk 6 14.48x
Minnigaff 6 96.62x
South Leith 6 3.48x
Symington 6 218.98x
Cathcart 5 10.44x
Haddington 5 22.39x
Kilbirnie 5 24.35x
St Quivox 5 17.30x
West Ham 5 1.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 1.81x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 3.92x
Bestwood Park 4 146.52x
Bishopwearmouth 4 1.37x
Blairgowrie 4 19.72x
Dundonald 4 12.69x
Everton 4 0.93x
Jedburgh 4 19.72x
Kilwinning 4 14.49x
Lanark 4 13.46x
Limehouse London 4 3.19x
Mile End Old Town 4 2.22x
Monk Hesleden 4 42.24x
Penicuik 4 19.24x
Toxteth Park 4 0.87x
Abercorn 3 87.98x
Campbeltown 3 7.82x
Dalry 3 7.46x
Denny 3 13.39x
Dumbarton 3 7.02x
Irvine 3 12.63x
Parton 3 107.14x
Stoneykirk 3 27.65x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Speirs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Mary 4
Ann 3
Jessie 3
Elizebeth 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Clementina 1
Eliza 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Speirs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
James 9
John 6
William 6
Charles 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Alex. 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
George 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Speirs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Speirs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,179 people were recorded with the Speirs surname. That placed it at #3,415 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Speirs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,082 in 2016. That gives Speirs a modern rank of #2,187.

What does the Speirs surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scottish word "speir," meaning a small rounded hill or peak.

What does the Speirs map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Speirs bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.