Spell
A name likely from the Old English word for a story, saying, or discourse—sometimes linked to a storyteller or preacher.
The #6,404 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,111 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Spell is usually connected with Old English spell, meaning a speech, tale, discourse, or homily, which later continued in Middle English as spelle. In surname form, it likely began as a nickname or occupational byname for someone known for telling stories, preaching, or speaking at length. Harrison explicitly glosses a related form, Speller, as "preacher" or "storyteller," which supports this interpretation.
History
The name is uncommon in Britain but appears in English surname collections and later in the United States. Historical surname writers also note American examples such as Mr. Spell in Philadelphia, suggesting the name persisted through migration and later spread in English-speaking countries. Because the documentary trail is thin, the exact line from byname to inherited surname is not fully certain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The old English root behind Spell is the same word family that gave modern English "spell" in the sense of magical words or a spoken formula.
From the historical record
“Roger le Scot. — Hund. Rolls, A.D. 1274. Adam Skotte [a relic of the O.N. spell- ing Skotar, Scots].— Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379. SCOTTEN . Bel to Scotton (Lines : 13th”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)