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

Meara, 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 Meara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meara in America

Meara is the 41234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meara surname appeared 528 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 Meara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meara 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 Meara

The surname MEARA originated in Ireland. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name O'Meadhra, with its root meaning "the descendant of Meadhra". Meadhra is believed to have been the name of an 8th-century Irish chieftain or leader. The name was initially found in County Sligo and surrounding areas of northwestern Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Annals of Ulster. This medieval Irish chronicle mentions a man named Muredach O'Meadhra, who was a prominent leader in the region at the time.

In the 16th century, the name MEARA appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Conquest, which were official records of land grants and appointments made by the English monarchy in Ireland. This suggests that the family held a position of some importance during this period.

The name MEARA has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Patrick O'Meara, a 17th-century Irish physician and academic who served as the President of the College of Physicians in Dublin from 1654 to 1658.

In the 18th century, Edmund Meara (1719-1793) was a prominent Irish-born architect who worked extensively in England, designing several notable buildings in London and Bath.

During the 19th century, Mary Meara (1837-1888) was an Irish-American writer and journalist who published several novels and short stories that provided insights into the lives of Irish immigrants in the United States.

In the 20th century, Anne Meara (1929-2015) was an American actress and comedian, best known for her work in television and on the stage. She often collaborated with her husband, Jerry Stiller, in various comedy projects.

Another notable bearer of the name was Timothy P. Meara (1960-2008), an American lawyer and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law and advocated for the rights of marginalized communities.

The surname MEARA has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, including Meara Townland in County Leitrim and Meara Village in County Sligo, further emphasizing its Irish origins and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meara

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

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

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

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