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

Bear, 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 Bear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bear in America

Bear is the 4308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bear surname appeared 8,252 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Bear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bear 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 Bear

The surname "Bear" is of English origin and has its roots in the Old English word "bera," which means "bear" – the powerful and formidable forest-dwelling animal. This name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who exhibited bear-like characteristics, such as strength, fierceness, or a burly appearance. Alternatively, it may have been derived from a place name associated with bears.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Bear" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bere" – an Old English spelling variant. This suggests that the name had been in use among the Anglo-Saxon population before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the surname "Bear" spread across various regions of England, with its spelling evolving to include variations like "Beare," "Beere," and "Beere." The name was particularly prevalent in counties like Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire, where place names like "Bear Wood" and "Bearley" were derived from the same root.

Notable individuals who bore the surname "Bear" throughout history include John Bear (c. 1350-1415), a wealthy landowner and merchant from Somerset, England; William Bear (1574-1642), an English clergyman and author of religious texts; and Thomas Bear (1663-1733), a British Member of Parliament for the borough of Huntingdon.

Across the Atlantic, the surname "Bear" also took root in the American colonies. One prominent figure was James Bear (1762-1838), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania who later became a Baptist minister. Additionally, Robert Bear (1811-1879), a prosperous farmer and businessman from Ohio, played a significant role in the early development of the state's agricultural industry.

As time passed, the surname "Bear" continued to gain prominence, with individuals from various backgrounds and professions bearing this name. Examples include John Bear (1825-1899), a British architect and designer of several notable buildings in London; Mary Bear (1885-1972), an American artist and educator known for her landscape paintings; and Edward Bear (1895-1963), a Canadian politician who served as a Member of Parliament for over two decades.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bear

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

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

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

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