Shapiro

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

Etymology

The surname is derived from the medieval name of Speyer, Germany,[1] compare Spire, the French name for that city. Other name variants attributed to Speyer include Sapiro, Spira, Spire, Spiro, Spero, Chapiro, Sprai, Szpir, Szpiro, Sapir and Spear.[2] The Jewish community of Speyer was one of three leading cities central to the development of Ashkenazi culture, referred to as the ShUM-cities, an acronym based on the names of the cities. The family name Speyer (based on the modern German name for the same city) has also become a well-known surname that was spread by Jews from Frankfurt to England, the United States and Canada in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some suggest that the surname derives from the Aramaic word (Imperial Aramaic: שפירא) meaning "handsome".[3][4]

Notable people surnamed Shapiro

Other uses
  • "Miss Shapiro", a song by 801 from the album 801 Live

See also

References
  1. Elon, Gilad (2014-04-22). "What Does Your Jewish Name Mean?". Haaretz. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  2. (Kaganoff, 1977) Source: Saul Zeichner, 27 November 2000, Revised 10 April 2009 http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Kolomea/nameorigin.htm
  3. Mozeson, Isaac (2000). The Word: The Dictionary That Reveals the Hebrew Source of English. SP Books. ISBN 978-1-56171-942-6.
  4. Shapiro, Nate (September 30, 2016). "Shapiro: Blood, death, and beautiful sapphires". Jewish Press. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
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