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

McLear, 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 McLear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McLear in America

McLear is the 49824th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McLear surname appeared 421 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 McLear.

We can also compare 2010 data for McLear 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 McLear

The surname MCLEAR has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "lear" which is a variation of the name "Learmounth." The name was initially concentrated in the coastal regions of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.

One of the earliest known records of the MCLEAR surname can be found in the Scottish Register of the Great Seal, which mentions a John McCler in 1548. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the mid-16th century in Scotland.

In the 17th century, the MCLEAR name was documented in various parish records across northeastern Scotland. For instance, a Robert McClear was recorded in the Parish Register of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, in 1671. This suggests that the name had become more widespread in the region by that time.

A notable bearer of the MCLEAR surname was Sir John McClear, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived in the late 17th century. He acquired substantial properties in Aberdeenshire and played a significant role in the local community.

As the name spread beyond Scotland, it also appeared in various spellings, such as McCleer, McCleare, and McClere. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions where the name had established a presence.

One of the earliest instances of the MCLEAR surname in North America is found in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where a Thomas McClear is listed as a freeman in 1689. This suggests that members of the MCLEAR family had begun to migrate to the New World by the late 17th century.

Another prominent figure bearing the MCLEAR surname was William McClear, a Scottish-born inventor and engineer who lived from 1791 to 1865. He is credited with several significant innovations in the field of steam engines and played a crucial role in the industrial development of the 19th century.

Throughout history, the MCLEAR surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including agriculture, trade, military service, and academia. Notable individuals bearing this name have made contributions in areas such as literature, politics, and science, further solidifying the name's place in history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McLear

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

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

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

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