Spitzer
A German surname that most often began as a nickname for someone from Speyer or, in some cases, from a spiky or brisk personal trait.
The #5,002 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 43,937 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Spitzer is a German surname with more than one possible source. In many cases it is taken from a habitational or regional formation connected with Speyer (Latin Spira), meaning someone who came from that city or area. It can also be a nickname from German Spitz, "pointed" or "sharp," applied to someone with a pointed physical feature, sharp manner, or lively disposition. In Jewish surname usage, it is also found as a German-based name adopted in Central and Eastern Europe.
History
The name is well attested in German-speaking areas and later appears among Jewish families in parts of Central Europe, where German-language surnames were widely adopted or inherited. It traveled to North America with 19th- and early-20th-century immigration, especially from German and Austro-Hungarian regions. Because several different explanations can produce the same spelling, family lines with this surname may have different origins.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same surname can sometimes point either to a place-name connection with Speyer or to the German word for something “pointed” or “sharp.”