Sears
A medieval English surname derived from the Old French "sere" meaning "to dry."
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Sears. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sears today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sears births was 1921 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sears. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Sears is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Sears' were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Sears. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
1921
8 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1963 SSA rank
#4,532
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Sears: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sears from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 28 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sears by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sears during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sears
The name Sears is an English given name with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "sær," meaning "a wound or sore." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who had a visible scar or wound.
In medieval England, descriptive nicknames were commonly used as given names, particularly among the lower classes. As the use of surnames became more widespread, these nicknames often evolved into hereditary surnames that were passed down through families.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sears can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Seir" and "Seyr," suggesting its long-standing presence in the English language.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sears. One of the most prominent was Sears Roebuck (1828-1909), the American businessman who co-founded the Sears, Roebuck and Company, one of the largest retail corporations in the United States. His innovative mail-order catalog business revolutionized the retail industry in the late 19th century.
Another notable figure was Sears Cook Walker (1805-1853), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Illinois from 1849 to 1853. Walker played a significant role in the debates surrounding the Compromise of 1850, which attempted to resolve the issues surrounding slavery and territorial expansion.
In the realm of literature, Sears Thompson (1892-1968) was an American novelist and short story writer known for his works depicting life in the American Midwest. His novel "The Body Fell" (1923) was a critical success and helped establish his reputation as a prominent voice in American fiction.
The name Sears also has ties to the world of sports. Sears Frank Pingree (1886-1953) was an American football player and coach who played for the University of Michigan and later served as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1919 to 1924.
Finally, Sears Gallagher (1869-1955) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 37th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1915 to 1919. He was a prominent figure in the Republican Party and played an active role in state politics during the early 20th century.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Sears throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence in various fields and time periods.
People
Sears + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sears as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sears: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sears?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sears going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Sears a common name?
We classify Sears as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 68 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sears most popular?
The single biggest year for Sears was 1921, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sears is about 76 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sears in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sears a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sears in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Sears still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sears in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sears can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Sears?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.