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

Grear, 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 Grear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grear in America

Grear is the 19654th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grear surname appeared 1,371 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 Grear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grear 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 Grear

The surname Grear is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "grēne," meaning "green" or "verdant." This name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived near a green or grassy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grear can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Reginald Grene was mentioned. This suggests that the name was present in England as early as the 12th century, potentially evolving into the variant spelling "Grear" over time.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 recorded a John le Grene in Oxfordshire, further solidifying the connection between the name and its potential origins as a descriptive surname. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname was common in medieval times and indicated a person's occupation, location, or distinguishing characteristic.

During the 14th century, the name Grear appeared in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Thomas Grene was listed. This indicates that the surname was well-established and in use across different regions of England by this time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Grear was Sir Thomas Grene, a 15th-century English knight who served as the Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1430. He was born around 1400 and played a role in the Wars of the Roses, supporting the Lancastrian cause.

In the 16th century, the Grear surname was associated with several prominent individuals, including Richard Grene, a member of the English gentry who held land in Northamptonshire. He was born around 1510 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Northampton in 1553.

Another notable figure from this period was Robert Grear, a clergyman born in 1535 who served as the Rector of Barnwell St Andrew in Northamptonshire from 1567 until his death in 1608.

The 17th century saw the emergence of Jeremiah Grear, a prominent English Puritan minister born in 1628. He was known for his sermons and writings, including the influential work "The Doctrine of the Soul's Immortality" published in 1677.

In the 18th century, the name Grear was associated with various places, such as Grear's Green, a village in Buckinghamshire, and Grear's Ashby, a hamlet in Northamptonshire. These place names may have been derived from individuals bearing the Grear surname or vice versa, further solidifying the connection between the name and its potential origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grear

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

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

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

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