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

Spires, 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 Spires surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spires in America

Spires is the 4672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spires surname appeared 7,592 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Spires.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spires 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 Spires

The surname "Spires" originated in England during the late Anglo-Saxon period, typically between the 9th and 11th centuries. It is derived from the Old English word "spir," which referred to a tall, slender object or structure, particularly a spire or steeple on a church or other building.

The name was initially used as a descriptive term, likely referring to someone who lived near or worked on a building with a prominent spire. It may have also been used as an occupational name for those involved in the construction or maintenance of such structures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Spires" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property across England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears several times in various spellings, such as "Spire" and "Spyr."

In the 12th century, a notable individual named William de Spires was recorded as a landowner and knight in Northamptonshire. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Richard Spire is mentioned.

During the Middle Ages, the name "Spires" was often associated with specific locations, such as Spire's Green in Essex and Spire's Hill in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the surname and living in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Spires" in its modern spelling dates back to 1327, when a John Spires was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

Notable individuals with the surname "Spires" throughout history include:

1. Roger Spires (c. 1440-1508), an English churchman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1494 until his death.
2. John Spires (1615-1663), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works.
3. Elizabeth Spires (born 1952), an American poet and author known for her collections of poetry, including "Worldling" and "The Wave-Maker."
4. Christopher Spires (born 1958), a British actor and writer known for his roles in television shows like "The Bill" and "Casualty."
5. Steven Spires (born 1970), an American baseball player who played in Major League Baseball for teams like the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spires

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

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

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

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