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

Sear, 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 Sear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sear in America

Sear is the 41728th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sear surname appeared 521 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 Sear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sear 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 Sear

The surname SEAR is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'sear', meaning 'dry' or 'withered', and was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a dry or withered appearance.

SEAR is also thought to have been an occupational surname, referring to those who worked with the process of searing or scorching materials, particularly in the context of metalworking or woodworking. This connection to a specific trade or profession was not uncommon in the development of surnames during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SEAR can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1275, which mention a William Sear. Another early example is John Sere, recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317.

The name SEAR appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in the West Midlands region of England during the medieval and early modern periods. Some variations in spelling included Sere, Seare, and Seere, which reflect the evolving nature of English orthography over time.

Notable individuals with the surname SEAR throughout history include:

1. William Sear (c. 1548 - 1605), an English clergyman and poet from Worcestershire.
2. John Sear (c. 1590 - 1663), an English soldier who fought in the English Civil War and later became a member of the Parliament of England.
3. Mary Sear (c. 1620 - 1692), a prominent figure in the early Quaker movement, known for her religious writings and activism.
4. Thomas Sear (1668 - 1720), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London.
5. Samuel Sear (1785 - 1858), a British botanist and naturalist, known for his contributions to the study of plant life in the Caribbean region.

The surname SEAR can also be found in various place names across England, such as Sear Green in Buckinghamshire and Sear's Wood in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its historical presence and distribution within the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sear

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

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

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

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