Speight
A nickname surname from an old word for a woodpecker, likely first used for someone thought to resemble the bird in some way.
The #6,276 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 56,703 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally taken from an old English word for the woodpecker, often given in historical sources as a form like "specht" or "speight." The literal sense is therefore bird-based rather than occupational or locational. As with many medieval nicknames, it may have referred to someone’s appearance, movements, habits, or some other perceived resemblance to the bird.
History
The name is recorded in medieval English documents, including Yorkshire forms such as Matilda Speght in 1379. It survived as a family name in several spellings, especially Speight and Speaight, and later spread beyond its northern English heartland. The surname is now found in English-speaking countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname studies, bird-based nicknames like Speight were grouped with names such as Hogg, Fox, Wildgoose, and Woodcock.
From the historical record
“SPAWFORTH, V. SpofTorth. SPEAIGHT, V. Speight. SPEAK "1„ o„„^„ SPEAKEJ'-^P^'^^- SPEAKMAN (Eng.) Spokesman, Speaker,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)