Find out how popular the last name Abear is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Abear.

Abear, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Abear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abear in America

Abear is the 75799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abear surname appeared 254 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Abear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abear to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Abear

The surname ABEAR has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "abe" meaning "dweller" and "aer" meaning "river bank" or "waterway," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name resided near a river or stream.

One of the earliest documented references to the ABEAR surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a historical record from 1273, where it is spelled "Abyar." This variation in spelling was common during that era due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Abear," "Abeyr," and "Abeere," in various legal documents and records from counties like Lincolnshire and Norfolk. This diversity in spelling reflects the regional dialects and scribal interpretations of the time.

During the late 15th century, the ABEAR surname gained prominence in the county of Gloucestershire, where several families bearing this name were recorded as landowners and influential members of the local community. One notable figure was John ABEAR (c. 1460-1532), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

In the 16th century, the surname spread to other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire. Records from this period show the name being spelled as "Abeare" and "Abeer." One prominent individual was William ABEAR (c. 1520-1585), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the ABEAR family in the county of Warwickshire, where they established themselves as landowners and respected members of the local gentry. One notable figure from this era was Sir Thomas ABEAR (1628-1703), a Member of Parliament and influential courtier during the reigns of Charles II and James II.

In the 18th century, the ABEAR surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable individuals such as Robert ABEAR (1720-1788), a successful merchant and philanthropist in the city of Bristol, and Elizabeth ABEAR (1745-1815), a renowned author and poet from Gloucestershire.

As the centuries passed, members of the ABEAR family spread across the British Isles and beyond, with some emigrating to the American colonies and other parts of the world. Today, the surname ABEAR remains a recognizable name with a rich historical legacy rooted in medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abear

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Abear.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Abear was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Abear has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Abear was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Abear, please contact us.

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