This is a patronymic i.e. "son of Speir", itself an official title for a watchman deriving from the Medieval English "espein" or the Olde French "espier" meaning "to watch or observe". One, William le Spiour is recorded in the 1302 "Accounts of the Chamberlains of the County of Chester" and a Robert Spyer in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire. However the recording of the name is Scotland is earlier (see below). In 1475 one, David Spere was burgess of Glasgow and in the following year an Alexander Speir was recorded in Pettincrefe. The patronymic form of the name, Speirs is recorded in 1679, the final "s" being a reduced form of "son of ". OIn March 14th 1761 the marriage of William Spiers and Isabell Thomson took place at Falkirk, Stirling and on April 17th 1796 a John Spiers was christened at Campsie, Stirlingshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Willelmus Sper, witness in Perth. which was dated c.1232, Records of the Holy Trinity Monastery at Scon. during the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland, 1214 - 1249. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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