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

Spethman, 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 Spethman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spethman in America

Spethman is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spethman surname appeared 115 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 Spethman.

The history of the last name Spethman

The surname Spethman is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Westphalia, located in the present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The name is derived from the Old German word "speth," which means "late" or "tardy," and the suffix "-man," signifying a person or individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cologne Schreinsbücher (record books) from the 14th century, where a certain Heyneman Spethman was mentioned as a resident of the city. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 15th century, there are references to a Hermannus Spethman, who was a scholar and rector of the University of Cologne. He was known for his contributions to the field of philosophy and theology, and his works were widely circulated among intellectual circles of the time.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various records and documents from various regions of Germany, indicating its spread across the country. One notable figure was Johannes Spethman, a Protestant theologian born in Münster in 1535. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement and authored several religious works.

In the 17th century, a prominent individual bearing the surname Spethman was Christoph Spethman, a German painter and engraver born in Fürstenwalde in 1615. His works, particularly his engravings, were highly regarded and can be found in various art collections throughout Europe.

Another noteworthy figure was Johann Spethman, born in Frankfurt in 1688, who was a renowned architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several prominent buildings and urban developments in various cities across Germany during the 18th century.

Over the centuries, the Spethman surname has undergone various spellings and variations, such as Spedtman, Spetman, and Spedeman, reflecting the regional differences and linguistic evolution of the German language. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, signifying an individual who was perceived as "late" or "tardy" in some aspect of their life or character.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spethman

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

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

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

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