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

Lear, 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 Lear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lear in America

Lear is the 4638th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lear surname appeared 7,649 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 Lear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lear 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 Lear

The surname Lear has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "leah," which means a meadow, clearing, or open field. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or owned a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Lear can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name appears as "de la Lere," suggesting a connection to a specific place or location.

During the Middle Ages, the name Lear was prevalent in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire. It was often associated with landowners or individuals of some prominence in their local communities.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Lear was Sir John de Lear, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was granted lands in Yorkshire for his military service.

Another prominent individual with the surname Lear was William Lear, a renowned English poet and writer who lived from 1629 to 1691. He is best known for his satirical works and his contributions to the development of English literature during the Restoration period.

In the 18th century, Tobias Lear, an American diplomat and personal secretary to George Washington, became a significant figure associated with the Lear name. He was born in 1762 and played a crucial role in managing Washington's affairs during and after the Revolutionary War.

The name Lear has also been linked to various place names across England, such as Lear Green in Hertfordshire and Lear Hill in Wiltshire. These place names may have derived from individuals bearing the surname Lear who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lear include the American inventor and industrialist William P. Lear, who lived from 1902 to 1978 and is best known for developing the Lear Jet, and the English poet and writer Edward Lear, who lived from 1812 to 1888 and is renowned for his nonsense poems and limericks.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lear

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

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

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

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