Find out how popular the last name Spead is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Spead.

Spead, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Spead surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spead in America

Spead is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spead surname appeared 108 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Spead.

The history of the last name Spead

The surname SPEAD is thought to have originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sped" or "spede," which referred to prosperity, success, or good fortune. This implies that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or a descriptive name to someone who was perceived as prosperous or successful.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SPEAD can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire, dating back to 1327. These rolls were tax records that listed individuals who were required to pay a portion of their income or property to the Crown. The presence of the name in these rolls suggests that the SPEAD family was well-established in the region during that time.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records from the county of Suffolk, where it was often spelled as "Spede" or "Speede." One notable figure from this period was John Spede, a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry, who lived in the village of Wetheringsett between 1450 and 1510.

By the 16th century, the SPEAD surname had spread to other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire. In the 1582 Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, a certain Robert Spead is listed as a taxpayer in the parish of Kirkby Malzeard. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in the northern counties during the Elizabethan era.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the SPEAD surname. One such figure was Thomas Spead, a wealthy merchant and shipowner from the port city of Bristol, who lived between 1620 and 1698. Another was William Spead, a Puritan minister and author, who served as the rector of the parish of St. Mary's in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, from 1643 to 1679.

In the 18th century, the SPEAD name was particularly prevalent in the county of Nottinghamshire, where it was often associated with rural villages and farming communities. A prominent example from this period is John Spead, a successful farmer and landowner from the village of Edwinstowe, who lived from 1725 to 1802.

Throughout the 19th century, individuals bearing the SPEAD surname continued to be found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and the West Midlands. One noteworthy figure was George Spead, a renowned architect and civil engineer from Birmingham, who was responsible for designing several landmark buildings in the city between 1845 and 1912.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spead

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Spead.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Spead was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Spead was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Spead, please contact us.

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