UK surname
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a tall, slender structure or steeple.
In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Spire surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #22,225 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eastington and Buckland with Laverton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spire is 120 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 90.0%.
1881 census count
80
Ranked #22,225
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1901
120 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Spire surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Spire surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 117 | #15,456 |
| 1861 | historical | 110 | #19,562 |
| 1881 | historical | 80 | #22,225 |
| 1891 | historical | 112 | #22,291 |
| 1901 | historical | 120 | #20,545 |
| 1911 | historical | 99 | #22,850 |
| 1997 | modern | 10 | #37,060 |
| 1998 | modern | 11 | #36,908 |
| 1999 | modern | 11 | #36,917 |
| 2000 | modern | 14 | #36,522 |
| 2001 | modern | 12 | #36,612 |
| 2002 | modern | 10 | #36,902 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 10 | #37,096 |
| 2005 | modern | 12 | #36,936 |
| 2006 | modern | 11 | #37,118 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 10 | #37,371 |
| 2009 | modern | 10 | #37,446 |
| 2010 | modern | 11 | #37,411 |
| 2011 | modern | 12 | #37,287 |
| 2012 | modern | 12 | #37,292 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 12 | #37,355 |
| 2015 | modern | 8 | #37,797 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Eastington, Buckland with Laverton and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Eastington | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Buckland with Laverton | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Cheltenham | Gloucestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Spire surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spire, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Spire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Spire household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Spire is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spire is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Spire, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname SPIRE is of English origin, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "spir," which means a pointed object or a tapering structure, such as a church spire or a tower.
The name was originally used as an occupational surname, referring to someone who lived near a prominent spire or worked as a builder or architect of such structures. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Atte Spire" and "de la Spire."
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to various places with names containing the element "spire," such as Spirebourne in Wiltshire and Spirelestone in Dorset, suggesting that the surname may have originated from these locations.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John de la Spire, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1203. In the 14th century, Walter atte Spire was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London.
During the medieval period, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Spyre, Spyre, and Spyre. It was also occasionally Anglicized as "Spear" or "Speer," due to the similarity in pronunciation.
Notable individuals with the surname SPIRE include:
1. William Spire (c. 1509-1545), an English Protestant reformer and martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs. 2. Thomas Spire (1636-1718), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Launceston in the late 17th century. 3. Richard Spire (1715-1775), a British architect known for designing several churches and country houses in the Palladian style. 4. Emma Spire (1838-1912), an American suffragist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education reform. 5. John Spire (1892-1964), a British explorer and mountaineer who led several expeditions to the Himalayas in the early 20th century.
While the surname SPIRE is not among the most common in English-speaking countries today, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spire surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Gloucestershire leads with 19 Spires recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.58x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 19 | 12.58x |
| Middlesex | 17 | 2.21x |
| Essex | 9 | 5.92x |
| Cornwall | 6 | 6.88x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.65x |
| Somerset | 4 | 3.23x |
| Surrey | 4 | 1.07x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 2.06x |
| Nottinghamshire | 3 | 2.89x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.22x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 2.34x |
| Wiltshire | 2 | 2.94x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.73x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 3.17x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 8 Spires recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.61x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 8 | 68.61x |
| Stroud | 8 | 272.11x |
| Kensington London | 7 | 16.34x |
| West Ham | 7 | 20.85x |
| Maker | 6 | 740.74x |
| Clerkenwell London | 4 | 22.00x |
| Manningham | 4 | 42.55x |
| Shepton Mallet | 4 | 287.77x |
| South Scarle | 3 | 7500.00x |
| Warwick St Mary | 3 | 177.51x |
| Aldbourn | 2 | 500.00x |
| Battersea | 2 | 7.05x |
| Blackburn | 2 | 8.22x |
| Great Dunmow | 2 | 253.16x |
| Tottenham | 2 | 16.30x |
| Appleby | 1 | 500.00x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 2.03x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 4.31x |
| Dursley | 1 | 161.29x |
| Eastington | 1 | 200.00x |
| Godstone | 1 | 149.25x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 5.27x |
| Leeds | 1 | 2.32x |
| Lutterworth | 1 | 192.31x |
| Quedgley | 1 | 769.23x |
| Reading St Giles | 1 | 17.64x |
| Ross | 1 | 79.37x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 9.94x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.61x |
| Warwick St Nicholas | 1 | 70.42x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Spire surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Spire surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Spire households.
FAQ
In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Spire surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Spire a modern rank of #37,829.
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a tall, slender structure or steeple.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Spire bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.