Surname Spiel - Meaning and Origin
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Spiel: What does the surname Spiel mean?
The last name Spiel is of German origin and has specified roots in occupational surnames from the Middle Ages. Those with the surname Spiel were likely involved with stonemasonry, metalwork, and wheelwrights. It is derived from the Low German word spil, which translates to “plaything” or “game,” and is found as a component in several other place and family names. By the seventeenth century, the family had expanded enough to become the Spiel von Spielenhofen and Spiel von Eickenhausen. These families were recognized as being of nobility.
Spiel is often found in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Poland though there is an increasing presence of the family name throughout the United States. The current American spelling of the family name also exists as Spill, Spiele, and Spille. It is also common to find the last name as Spielman or Spielmann.
Although the family name has come to have many different forms, the original meaning of the name Spiel has always stayed the same. It is a reminder that the ancestors of the family were people who were involved with the manufacturing and playing of toys, games, and other activities that people of the Middle Ages participated in. As much as the name has become diversified, it is always easy to find a connection to the original spelling of the family name.
Order DNA origin analysisSpiel: Where does the name Spiel come from?
The last name Spiel is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a German language surname meaning "game". Spiel first appears in records in the 17th century, suggesting that its meaning was intended to signify someone engaging in gaming or gambling activities as a profession. The name is also found in Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Netherland. Some people with this surname were born in the United States, suggesting either German immigrants or adoption of the name by non-Germans.
The familiarity of the Spiel surname in Germany can also be seen in the number of recorded individuals in the telephone directory: over 500 people with the name Spiel can be found in the Berlin telephone directory alone. The surname is also found in many current popular German-language first names, including Fiene, Anna-Lena, Hilbert and Spieler.
One of the most successful modern celebrities with the name Spiel is Billiger Spieler, a German actor and comedian. He first gained recognition in the early 1980s following his successful comic acting in the German version of the television show The Price is Right. In recent years, Spieler has become a household name in Germany.
Overall, the surname Spiel is most common today in Germany, where it indicates a person of German origin or someone engaging in gaming activities. It is also found in other countries, however, suggesting the surname may have been adopted by non-Germans. Regardless, the popularity and widespread presence of the Spiel surname is clear.
Variations of the surname Spiel
The surname Spiel has many variants, spellings and surnames that share the same origin. Spiel is of German origin, and is derived from the Middle High German “spil”, meaning “play” or “game”.
Variants of Spiel can include Spieler, Spiller, Spiell, and Spiller. Spellings of this surname can include Spele, Spyvo, Spitze, Spielo, Speleman, Speelman, Spelmann, Spelan, and Spelemans.
The German and Dutch version of Spiel is spelled Speil or Spieil. This same spelling can also be found in other European countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Estonia.
In some cases, Speil can be written as a hyphenated name like Speilman, Spielmann, Spiel-man, Spiel-mann or Speil-man. This occurs when a surname is passed down on both the father’s and mother’s lines.
Surnames derived from Spiel include Spiller, Spieler, Spiell, Spillers, Spiegel, Speil, Speile, Spillman, Speilmann, Speilman, Spielman, and Speel.
The variants, spellings and surnames of Spiel all have their roots in the Middle High German “spil”, and all share the same origin.
Famous people with the name Spiel
- Chess grandmaster Boris Spassky
- Fashion photographer Brigitte Spiel
- Performance artist Eva Spieler
- Israeli painter and sculptor David Spielman
- Actor and writer Günter Spiess
- Professional soccer player Gerald Spielven
- Basketball player Joerg Spille
- German Voice Actor Klaus Spieler
- American saxophonist Mark Spiekermann
- Orchestra musician Richard Spiess