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

Shear, 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 Shear surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shear in America

Shear is the 9669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shear surname appeared 3,356 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Shear.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shear 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 Shear

The surname Shear is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "scear," which means "to cut" or "to shear." It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, around the 7th or 8th century AD.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Shear can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as Sceara, Sceare, and Schere.

In the 13th century, the surname Shear began to appear more frequently in historical records, particularly in areas of England known for their wool and textile industries. This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations related to sheep shearing or cloth production.

One notable individual with the surname Shear was Sir John Shear, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived during the 14th century. He is mentioned in various historical documents and was involved in several military campaigns during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure was Richard Shear, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 15th century. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and donated funds for the construction of several churches and charitable institutions.

In the 16th century, the surname Shear can be found in various records from the county of Somerset, particularly in the areas around the town of Shepton Mallet, which may have been derived from the Old English words "scep" (sheep) and "tun" (town), suggesting a connection to the wool trade.

During the 17th century, the surname Shear was also present in parts of Scotland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English settlers. One notable Scottish figure with this surname was Robert Shear, a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Glasgow during the late 1600s.

Throughout its history, the surname Shear has been associated with various occupations and trades, particularly those related to the wool and textile industries, but also in agriculture, military service, and commerce. While the exact origins of the name may be obscured by time, its connection to the act of shearing or cutting is evident, and it has left a lasting mark on the history and culture of England and Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shear

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

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

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

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