Spivey Family History

English (Yorkshire): from the Middle English personal name Spivi of unexplained etymology. There is a slight possibility that it could be a pet form of ancient Germanic Spirwig attested in the patronymic of a Norman tenant Eudo filius Spireuuic 1086 in Domesday Book (Lincolnshire).

The alteration of Spivey to Spib(e)y as if it were from a placename seems to occur from the 15th century.

However, the letters -v- and -b- are often difficult to distinguish at this time and during the following century.

So, the phonetic change may have occurred later.