Possibly from Middle Dutch 'spotte' (speck) or Old Norse — the 'location' sense grew from marking a point on a surface.
A small round mark on a surface; a particular place or location.
Possibly from Middle Dutch 'spotte' meaning 'spot, speck' or Old Norse 'spottr' (a small piece of ground). The 'location' sense grew from marking a specific point on a map or landscape. Key roots: spotte (Middle Dutch: "spot, speck (possibly)").