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

Abshear, 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 Abshear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abshear in America

Abshear is the 61123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abshear surname appeared 329 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 Abshear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abshear 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 Abshear

The surname Abshear is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name that contained the Old English elements "aebbscer" or "aebscer", meaning a quarter or portion of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Ailric de Abescere, whose name likely evolved into the modern spelling of Abshear over time.

During the 13th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, which mention individuals like Robert de Abschor and William de Abshur. These variations in spelling illustrate the fluid nature of surnames during that era.

In the 14th century, the name is found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, where a certain John de Abshore is documented as holding land in the area. This provides evidence of the name's continued presence in different regions of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Abshear throughout history include:

1. Sir William Abshear (c. 1450-1520), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Shropshire during the reign of Henry VIII.
2. Elizabeth Abshear (c. 1560-1635), a renowned herbalist and midwife who practiced in the county of Oxfordshire.
3. Thomas Abshear (c. 1620-1687), a Puritan minister and author of several religious tracts, who served as a pastor in Massachusetts during the colonial era.
4. Samuel Abshear (1720-1792), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War and later became an Admiral of the Blue.
5. Charlotte Abshear (1806-1884), a celebrated painter and portraitist whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

While the surname Abshear is relatively uncommon today, its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely derived from a specific locality or geographic feature. The name's evolution and variations over the centuries reflect the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abshear

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

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 Abshear 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 Abshear 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 Abshear was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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