Spieker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German province of Westphalia nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers, is the birthplace of the distinguished name Spieker. In the German provinces, after the 12th century, hereditary surnames that were derived from occupations became increasingly widespread. Spieker is an occupational name for a person who made or sold mirrors. This distinguished name was originally derived both from the German word "spiegel," which means "mirror" and from the Yiddish word "shpigl," which mean "to look" or "to see." The German word "spiegel" is itself derived from the Old German word "spiagal," from the Latin word "specullum."

Early Origins of the Spieker family

The surname Spieker was first found in Westphalia, where this noble family name, traced as early as 1100, became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system.

Early History of the Spieker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spieker research. Another 249 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1252, 1257, 1396, 1558, 1691, 1757, 1764, 1776, 1787, 1805, 1835 and 1837 are included under the topic Early Spieker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spieker Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Spieker include Spiegel, Spiegl, Spiegle, Spiegele, Spiegeler, Spiegler, Spiegelmann, Spiegelman, Spiegil, Spiegell, Spiegill, Spegel (northern Germany), Spigeler and many more.

Early Notables of the Spieker family

Notables of the period with the name Spieker were Count Ferdinand August von Spiegel (1764-1835), of the House of Diesenberg-Hanxleden, who was the Archbishop of Cologne, as well as a Prussian privy councillor. Count Caspar Philipp von Speigel (1776-1837), of the...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Spieker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spieker Ranking

In the United States, the name Spieker is the 16,333^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Spieker migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Spieker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Heinr Spieker, who arrived in America in 1832 2
Cath Marg Spieker, aged 35, who arrived in Ohio in 1832 2
Elis Spieker, who landed in America in 1836 2
Joh Herm Spieker, who landed in America in 1848-1849 2
Johanna Spieker, who arrived in America in 1849 2

Spieker Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Franz Spieker, aged 25, who landed in America from Vogelbach, Germany, in 1909
Julia Spieker, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Vogelbach, Germany, in 1909
Johanna Spieker, aged 40, who landed in America from Stuttgart, Germany, in 1912
Lucy Spieker, aged 22, who settled in America from Dresden, Germany, in 1914
Mabel Spieker, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Spieker (post 1700) +

Franz-Josef Spieker (1933-1978), German Film Award winning director, writer and producer, known for Wild Rider Ltd. (1967), Süden im Schatten (1962) and With Oak Leaves and Fig Leaf (1968)
Theodor Spieker (1823-1913), German mathematician who identified the eponymous Spieker circle and the Spieker center
Anton Spieker, German Screen Actors Award nominated actor, known for Rough Road Ahead (2014), Hans im Glück (2015) and Das Problem des Schnellstfluges (2013)
Martin Spieker, German producer, known for Dies 10 (2008) and for Das Supertalent-Backstage (2008)
Klaus Spieker (b. 1952), German professional footballer

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)