Family name origins & meanings
- English : occupational name for someone who was employed at a lodging house, from Middle English spital ‘lodging house’ (a reduced form of Old French hospital, Late Latin hospitale, from hostis, genitive hospitis, guest).
- Americanized spelling of eastern German Spittel, metonymic occupational name for someone who worked in an infirmary, from Middle High German spital, spittel ‘hospital’.