Shakespeare

Shakespeare Meaning & Origin

About Shakespeare
The surname Shakespeare is of English origin and is derived from the Middle English word "schak(k)en-speare," meaning "one who brandishes a spear." It is believed to have been a nickname or occupational name for someone who was skilled in handling a spear or a soldier who used a spear in battle. The name is famously associated with the renowned English playwright and poet William Shakespeare, whose works have had a profound impact on literature and theater.

🌍 Origin
📏 Surname Length
💬 Number of Syllables
🔠 Starting Letter

Popularity

Surname Popularity by Ethnicity

The surname Shakespeare is a unique entry in our records. Discover more about its distribution and characteristics:

  • Number of People with the name Shakespeare: 1,275
  • Overall Popularity: Less than 0.01% (a rare surname)
  • Ranking: 20739
  • Frequency per 100k people: 0.43

Below is the ethnic distribution of the surname Shakespeare based on recent US Census records. This is a brief glimpse into the diverse backgrounds of people carrying this surname.

Ranking information for the surname Shakespeare is not currently available.

Pronunciation

📇 Metaphone
XKSPR
🗽 NYSIIS
SA
🔊 Soundex
S02021060
🎵 Syllabic Pronunciation
SH EY1 K S P IY2 R
🌐 IPA
/ˈʃeɪkˌspir/
🔊 Double Metaphone
('XKSPR', '')
🈯 Cross-Lingual Phonetic
S221

Accessibility & Communication

How to write the name Shakespeare in Braille

Here's how to represent Shakespeare in Braille, each pattern of raised dots corresponds to a letter in the name.

The name Shakespeare in braille

How to sign the name Shakespeare using Sign Language

The image below shows how you can spell Shakespeare using American Sign Language (ASL). In sign language, each hand shape corresponds to a specific a letter of the name.

The name Shakespeare in sign language

Numerology