Spira is a surname with a variety of origins. In Germany, the surname Spira originated as a corruption of

Speyer Speyer (, older spelling ''Speier'', French: ''Spire,'' historical English: ''Spires''; pfl, Schbaija) is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer li ...

, the name of a town in the

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

. It is one of a number of Jewish surnames that originated this way, along with the better-known

Shapiro Shapiro, and its variations such as Shapira, Schapiro, Schapira, Sapir, Sapira, Spira, Sapiro, Spiro (name)/Spyro (in Greek), Szapiro/ Szpiro (in Polish) and Chapiro (in French), is a Jewish Ashkenazi surname. Etymology The surname is derive ...

. Notable people with this name include:

Surname

Camilla Spira Camilla Spira (1 March 1906 – 25 August 1997) was a German film actress. She appeared in 68 films between 1924 and 1986. She was born in Hamburg, Germany, of Jewish ancestry on her father's side, and died in Berlin, Germany. Her father was ...

(1906–1997), German film actress * Chaim Elazar Spira (1868–1937), Polish Orthodox rabbi *

Elijah Spira Elijah Spira (1660–1712) (alternatively, "Shapira" or "Shapiro", Hebrew: אליהו שפירא) was son of Benjamin Wolf Spira. He was a brother-in-law of Rabbi Yaakov Reischer, Rabbi David Oppenheim and a student of Rabbi Avraham Gombiner. He ...

(1660–1712), Czech rabbi * Ella Spira, English composer *

Fred Spira Fred Spira (1924–2007) was an inventor and innovator in photography as well as a collector of photographic equipment, images, books, and ephemera. He is credited as one of three individuals who opened up the U.S. market to quality Japanese photo ...

(1924–2007), American photography innovator *

Fritz Spira Fritz Spira (1 August 1881 – c. 1943) was an Austrian stage and film actor. He appeared frequently in films during the silent and early sound eras. Spira played the role of the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef in the 1926 film ''The Third Squadro ...

(1881–1943), Austrian actor * Harry Spira (died c. 2009), Australian veterinarian *

Henry Spira Henry Spira (19 June 1927 – 12 September 1998) was an American activist for socialism and animal rights, who is regarded by some as one of the most effective animal advocates of the 20th century.Singer, in Spira and Singer 2006, pp. 214–215. ...

(1927–1988), animal rights activist *

Howard Spira Howard "Howie" Spira is an American gambler and convicted felon who was central to Fay Vincent's decision to ban George Steinbrenner from baseball during the 1990s. In 1991 he was convicted of trying to extort $110,000 from Steinbrenner and spent o ...

(born 1959), American gambler and mobster * Joel Spira (born 1981), Swedish actor *

Joel Spira (businessman) Joel Solon Spira (March 1, 1927 – April 8, 2015) was an American inventor, entrepreneur, and business magnate. He invented a version of the light-dimmer switch for use in homes around the United States and led his Lutron Electronics Compa ...

(1927–2015), American inventor and businessman *

Jonathan Spira Jonathan B. Spira (born 1961) is a researcher and industry analyst known for his work in the area of collaboration and knowledge sharing and the problem of information overload. Early life Spira was born in New York and grew up in New York City a ...

(born 1961), American researcher and industry analyst * Julie Spira, American author and media personality *

Lotte Spira Lotte Spira (; 24 April 1883 – 17 December 1943) was a German stage and film actress. She appeared in supporting roles in around seventy films. She was married to the Austrian actor Fritz Spira in 1905. In 1934 she divorced her Jewish husband ...

(1883–1943), German actress *

Michael Spira Dr Michael Spira (born 24 April 1944) is a British medical doctor and GP with a special interest in weight management. Career Spira was educated at Stowe School, Buckingham. After training at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London London i ...

(born 1944), British medical doctor *

Nathan Nata Spira Nathan Nata Spira ( he, ; 1585 – 20 July 1633) was a Polish rabbi and kabbalist, who served as Chief Rabbi of Kraków. A student of Meir Lublin, Spira played an important role in spreading Isaac Luria's teachings throughout Poland. ...

(1585–1633), Polish rabbi and kabbalist * Phyllis Spira (1943–2008), South African ballet dancer * Rupert Spira (born 1960), English studio potter * Steffie Spira (1908–1995), Austrian-born German actress *

Thomas Spira Thomas Spira (1923–2005) was Professor of History at the University of Prince Edward Island and editor of the '' Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism'', the first academic journal devoted to the study of nationalism. Born in Bratislava, Cze ...

(1923–2005), Canadian historian *

Yisroel Spira Yisroel Spira (November 12, 1889 – October 30, 1989), the Bluzhover Rebbe, was a senior member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and a Holocaust survivor. His experiences in the Nazi concentration camps were the basis for the book ''Hasidic Tales of ...

(1889–1989), Polish-American rabbi

Given name

Spira Grujić Spira Grujić (; born 7 December 1971) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a defender. Club career After spending four seasons with Radnički Niš, Grujić moved abroad and joined Belgian club Molenbeek in 1995. He would also play for ...

(born 1971), Serbian football defender

References

{{given name, type=both Yiddish-language surnames Jewish surnames

Surname

Given name

See also

References