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

Speaker, 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 Speaker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Speaker in America

Speaker is the 15985th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Speaker surname appeared 1,816 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Speaker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Speaker to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Speaker

The surname Speaker is an English occupational name that originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It derives from the Old English word "speca" or the Middle English word "speaker," meaning someone who spoke or addressed an audience. The name likely referred to a public orator, preacher, storyteller, or court official whose profession involved speaking in front of people.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as tax rolls, parish records, and legal proceedings. One notable early bearer was Robert le Speaker, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

During the Middle Ages, the Speaker surname was concentrated in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Staffordshire. Some historical records also suggest the name was present in parts of East Anglia and the West Midlands.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in the form of "Speker" in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1436, where a John Speker was mentioned. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name from its Old English and Middle English roots.

One notable historical figure bearing the Speaker surname was Sir Thomas Speaker (c. 1472 - 1552), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1536 and played a significant role in the city's affairs during the tumultuous period of the English Reformation.

Another individual of note was Robert Speaker (c. 1620 - 1679), a Puritan clergyman and author from Wiltshire, England. He wrote several religious works, including "The Humble Vindication of a Free Admission to the Lord's Supper" and "The Sincere Convert."

In the 17th century, the Speaker surname also appeared in early colonial records in North America. Examples include Thomas Speaker, who arrived in Virginia in 1635, and John Speaker, who settled in Barbados in 1679.

Other notable bearers of the Speaker surname throughout history include William Speaker (c. 1730 - 1799), a British architect and surveyor known for his work in Bath and Somerset, and John Speaker (1773 - 1856), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Speaker

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

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 Speaker 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Speaker has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Speaker was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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