Last name?

Question:

Last name?

Does nayone know what heritage the last name Spears or Ratcliff is from?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Spears is Scottish

The spears surname comes from the Old English word "spere," meaning "spear." It may have orginally been a nickname for a tall skinny person, or perhaps for a hunter skilled at using the spear.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Speir, Spier, Spears, Speirs, Spiers, Speer, Speers, Spere, Speres, Spire, Spires, Speyer, Speier, Speery and many more.

First found in Renfrewshire where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Stephen Spear who settled in Virginia in 1685; Robert Speare settled in Virginia in 1653; James Spears settled in New England in 1761; Alexander Speir settled in Wilmington N.C. in 1774.

Ratcliff is English

The name ratcliff was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The ratcliff family lived in Nottingham, at Radcliffe. The name of this place translates as red cliff, and indicates that originally the town was distinguished by its proximity to such a landmark on the east side of Irwell.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Radcliffe, Radcliff, Radclyffe, Ratliffe, Ratliff, Ratlife and many more.

First found in Nottingham, where they had settled after the Conquest.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: James and Jane Radcliff settled in New England in 1685; Alexander Radcliff settled in New York in 1803; John Radcliffe settled in Philadelphia in 1775.