Speed Surname

27,494th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 19,554 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Isle of Man

Speed Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. Probably a font-name, wishing prosperity or good-speed to the child. The original meaning of speed is 'success.' If not this, it must be a nickname, significant of the quick, hasty movements of the first ancestor.

Read More About This Surname

Speed Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States9,4401:38,3964,731
England4,5131:12,3461,816
Egypt1,3731:66,9606,238
Australia1,3411:20,1312,790
Canada6081:60,6017,126
Saudi Arabia3981:77,52710,981
Scotland3241:16,5242,031
Wales2931:10,5621,178
New Zealand1601:28,3024,948
Morocco1361:253,50142,794
South Africa1151:471,11039,128
India1141:6,728,644151,199
Iraq791:443,3127,666
Portugal661:157,8526,835
France651:1,021,888113,182
Bahrain591:22,8584,582
Jamaica381:75,5253,602
Brazil321:6,689,823158,565
Singapore301:183,5907,666
Germany261:3,096,364143,912
Indonesia261:5,086,507239,866
China201:68,366,0783,721
Isle of Man191:4,517958
Spain171:2,750,12061,567
Uganda171:2,296,42870,019
Iran151:5,118,835123,814
Thailand131:5,433,719375,884
Mexico111:11,284,20041,789
Italy101:6,115,669111,715
Turkey81:9,727,678134,647
Nigeria81:22,142,845310,552
Greece81:1,384,97486,362
Philippines71:14,462,603238,248
Jersey71:14,1722,872
Northern Ireland71:263,57711,625
Colombia71:6,824,86722,056
Trinidad and Tobago61:227,32910,175
Switzerland61:1,368,81977,571
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Norway51:1,028,45761,363
Argentina51:8,548,683204,003
Poland51:7,601,750167,855
Belgium51:2,299,329106,824
Chile51:3,523,29539,650
Malaysia51:5,898,845196,803
Angola41:6,747,3046,999
Pakistan41:44,660,971115,884
Ghana41:6,755,17315,406
Sri Lanka41:5,202,14012,146
Kuwait41:950,17418,811
Bangladesh41:39,839,19317,324
Serbia31:2,381,64930,913
Cameroon31:6,923,023143,724
Bulgaria31:2,326,30254,089
Sweden31:3,282,252190,759
Cyprus31:294,9598,690
United Arab Emirates31:3,054,09190,853
Israel31:2,852,545113,505
Netherlands31:5,629,059132,535
Finland31:1,832,23457,803
Ecuador31:5,301,94930,184
Japan31:42,614,76459,022
Syria21:9,650,51117,817
Czechia21:5,316,734169,646
Romania21:10,038,93580,612
Austria21:4,257,71899,224
Venezuela21:15,102,03869,873
Honduras21:4,408,2217,709
Cambodia21:7,743,57311,959
Bolivia11:10,616,43417,077
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Jordan11:8,842,43726,010
Guatemala11:16,082,66812,169
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Yemen11:26,425,29455,147
Hong Kong11:7,335,48316,643
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Algeria11:38,631,551130,422
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Ireland11:4,708,93929,543
Taiwan11:23,444,74693,622
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Sudan11:37,510,19514,259
Libya11:6,243,9746,186
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Slovenia11:2,487,67531,128
Madagascar11:23,649,8379,420
Malawi11:17,119,10934,144
Mauritius11:1,293,41716,552
Mongolia11:2,825,28917,010
Saint Lucia11:178,7813,800
Myanmar11:51,937,9852,166
Estonia11:1,321,80440,178
Oman11:3,687,97114,390
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland171:260,58011,064
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1,9751:12,3421,869
Scotland3651:10,2551,304
Wales661:23,7641,369
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,6331:30,7523,715

Speed (1,267) may also be a first name.

Speed Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. Probably a font-name, wishing prosperity or good-speed to the child. The original meaning of speed is 'success.' If not this, it must be a nickname, significant of the quick, hasty movements of the first ancestor. If baptismal, Speedy is but a pet-form, as in the case of Charlie, Tommy, Willy, &c.

Johannes Sped, Suffolk, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Margaret Sped, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Roger Sped, Oxfordshire, ibid.

1555-6. John Speede and Elizabeth Cheynye: Marriage Lic. (London).

Cicilie Speed, of Tattenhall, 1578: Wills at Chester.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

Nicholas Speid occupied part of the lands of Cuikstone or Quygstone in Angus, 1410 (REB., I, 84), and Cuthbert Speid was witness in Forfar (Southesk, p. 720). Rev. George Speed, minister of Aberlour, Banffshire, diea 1688, and Mr. William Speed, minister at Botraphennie, residenter at Netherbyre parish of Aytoun, 1706 (Lauder), is probably Mr. William Speed, minister at Ednam, who was deposed in 1689 (RPC., 3. ser. XIV, p. 168).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(English) Success, Fortúne, Prosperity [Old English spéd] Roger Sped.—Hundred Rolls

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

“Success” or “Wealth” in Old English (Sped).

South African Surnames (1965) by Eric Rosenthal

Probably have reference to the swiftness of the original bearers.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Ivo de Spada, Normandy 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); John and Roger Sped, Engl. c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

The Norman People (1874)

In "The Western Martyrology" we learn that Mr. Joseph Speed of Culliton (Colyton in East Devon), one of the martyrs of the Monmouth rebellion of 1685, met his death on the scaffold with Christian fortitude.

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain (1890) by Henry Brougham Guppy

Speed Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Speed Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Speed is carried by more people in The United States than any other country/territory. It can also be found as:. For other possible spellings of this last name click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Speed? popularity and diffusion

This surname is the 27,494th most widespread last name internationally. It is borne by around 1 in 372,688 people. This last name is mostly found in The Americas, where 51 percent of Speed are found; 50 percent are found in North America and 50 percent are found in Anglo-North America. Speed is also the 221,694th most common forename globally, borne by 1,267 people.

The last name is most widespread in The United States, where it is carried by 9,440 people, or 1 in 38,396. In The United States it is most prevalent in: Texas, where 15 percent live, California, where 7 percent live and Florida, where 7 percent live. Besides The United States this surname is found in 93 countries. It also occurs in England, where 23 percent live and Egypt, where 7 percent live.

Speed Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Speed has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people bearing the Speed last name rose 578 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it rose 229 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it fell 11 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it rose 444 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it fell 94 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Speed Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those carrying the Speed surname is principally Catholic (65%) in Ireland.

In The United States those bearing the Speed last name are 6.35% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 53.12% registered with the party.

The amount Speed earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 101.05% more than the national average, earning 695,791 kr per year; in South Africa they earn 0.13% less than the national average, earning R 237,336 per year; in United States they earn 6.93% less than the national average, earning $40,160 USD per year and in Canada they earn 10.08% more than the national average, earning $54,692 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Speeds9116/
Speedz915/
Speead910/
Spee893,016/
Sped8967/
Speer8024,947/
Spees801,123/
Speet80570/
Speid80510/
Spead80120/
Spedt8040/
Spied8034/
Spete8010/
Speez806/
Shped803/
Speea802/
Speae802/
Spedh801/
Spedd801/
Szped801/
Speep801/
Speeh801/
Xpeed801/
Spehe800/
Spoed800/
Spaed800/
Speyd800/
Spedz800/
Speedova772/
Spe7563/
Speets73281/
Shpedt73264/
Speeth7380/
Spaedt7375/
Shpeer7336/
Spiedt7332/
Speech7321/
Shpeyd7318/
Speetz739/
Speerh735/
Spette734/
Spehte734/
Speids733/
Speehr732/
Hspeer731/
Spayed731/
Speste731/
Shpeep731/
Szpedt731/
Speesh730/
Speete730/
Speate730/
Speerr730/
Speeht730/
Spethe730/
Speh67776/
Sper67446/
Spey67216/
Spet67163/
Spes67155/
Spei67135/
Spie67112/
Spid6775/
Spea6770/
Spez6721/
Shpeydt6717/
Späd679/
Spée677/
Sphe673/
Zped672/
Hspe672/
Speecht672/
Shpe672/
Sxpe672/
Zspe671/
Spechte671/
Szpe671/
Spej671/
Sjpe671/
Speachd671/
Speu671/
Sppe671/
Sspe671/
Šped671/

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Speed Reference & Research

Speed FamilyTree DNA Group - A group collating DNA test results for those who bear the surname, includes results of DNA tests and discussions.

Speed FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Speed
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis