The name Spiro indicates an origin, probably the city of Speyer, which had a large Jewish community as far back as the 11th century. In Frankfurt the name Speyer appears back in the 14th century, in the period before the creation of the Judengasse, and continues to appear regularly during the Judengasse era (1462 1796). The most prominent member was Löb Spiro, who may have come from Offenbach and is mentioned in Frankfurt in 1760. He was involved in major financial transactions, particularly in Leipzig and Braunschweig, and was finally appointed court factor to the Prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen. When he died in 1799 he left the substantial fortune for the time of 40,000 guilders. One of his sons, Beer Salomon, married the sister of Ludwig Börne.