Spiro History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Spiro can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Venice. The people of this region were originally known only by a single name, but it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves, as populations grew and travel became more frequent. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and patronymic surnames, derived from the father's given name were the most common type of family name adopted in the region of Venice. The Italian surname Spiro came from the personal name Gaspare, derived from the Latin name Gasparus, and ultimately derived from "kaspar," a Persian word meaning "treasurer" and name of one of the three Magi.

Early Origins of the Spiro family

The surname Spiro was first found in Vicenza, anciently known as Vicetia, a town in Venetia, capital of the province of Vicenza. It was conquered by the Venetians in 1405. It has many beautiful palaces and churches, galleries and museums. The cathedral is Gothic. The original church SS.Felice e Fortunato was built in 975 but has been much altered. It is notable for its development painters, architects, sculptors and scholars. Natives were Trissino, Palladio, Pigafetta, Fogazzaro, Mantegna, Montagna, Speranza, Scamozzi and Buoncosiglio. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time, at the beginning of recorded history, was of itself a great distinction and indicative of noble ancestry.

Early History of the Spiro family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spiro research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1588, 1590, 1648, 1660, 1661, 1683, 1702, 1712, 1725, 1727, 1743, 1749 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Spiro History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spiro Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gaspari, Gasparo, Gasperi, Gasparri, Casparri, Degasperi, Gasparelli, Gasparini, Gasparetti, Gasparetto, Gaspardo, Gasparon, Gasperin, Gasbarrini, Gasperoni, Gasparrini, Sperelli, Sperotto, Speroni and many more.

Early Notables of the Spiro family

Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was David Caspari (1648-1702), a German Lutheran theologian, rector of Riga Cathedral; and his son, Georg Caspari (1683-1743), a Baltic German academic; Sperone Speroni degli Alvarotti (1500-1588), an Italian Renaissance humanist, scholar and dramatist; Antonio Gaspari, (before 1660-after 1749), an Italian architect of the late-Baroque, active in both Venice and the terrafirma of the Veneto; and his son, Giovanni Paolo Gaspari (1712-1775), Italian painter active mainly in Germany; Gaspare Gasparini (died 1590), an Italian...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Spiro Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spiro Ranking

In the United States, the name Spiro is the 16,332^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Spiro migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Spiro Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J N Spiro, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2

Spiro Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Demetri Spiro, who arrived in Texas in 1907 2
Demetre Spiro, who arrived in Texas in 1907 2
Demitri Spiro, who landed in Texas in 1907 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Spiro (post 1700) +

Mark Spiro (1957-2024), American songwriter, record producer and recording artist who worked with Laura Branigan, Anne Murray, Engelbert Humperdinck, Pia Zadora, Hazell Dean, David Hasselhoff and others
Eugen "Eugene" Spiro (1874-1972), German-born, American painter
Lev L. Spiro, American television and film director, known for his work on Modern Family, Weeds, Arrested Development, My Name Is Earl, Ugly Betty, Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek and many more
Melford Elliot Spiro (b. 1920), American cultural anthropologist
Jordana Ariel Spiro (b. 1977), American film and television actress
Ellen Spiro (b. 1968), American documentary filmmaker
Mark Spiro (b. 1957), American songwriter, record producer and recording artist
Timothy Spiro, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of East Detroit, Michigan, 1979 3
Theodore C. Spiro, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 14th District, 1976 3
Nathan Spiro (b. 1867), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Danbury; Defeated, 1930; Elected 1932; Member of Connecticut State Senate, 1935 3
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html