Explore the Family Name Mear

The meaning of Mear

1. English (mainly Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire): topographic name from Middle English mere ‘pond, pool’ (Old English mere) or Middle English mere ‘boundary’ (Old English (ge)mǣre); or a habitational name from one or more of the many places with names derived from these terms, such as Mere (Cheshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire), Meir in Caverswall (Staffordshire), and Meare (Somerset). 2. English: variant of Mayer. 3. Breton (Finistère): regional variant of Le Mer ‘maire’ (see Lemer).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Mear in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mear saw a decrease in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Mear was ranked 68,172nd in terms of popularity, while it dropped to 82,613th in 2010, reflecting a decline of 21.18% over the decade. The total count of individuals bearing this surname also decreased from 270 in 2000 to 228 in 2010, marking a reduction of 15.56%. Consequently, for every 100,000 people, the proportion named Mear fell from 0.1 in 2000 to 0.08 in 2010, a fall of 20%.

20002010Change
Rank#68,172#82,613-21.18%
Count270228-15.56%
Proportion per 100k0.10.08-20%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mear

In regards to ethnicity, census data indicates that the majority of individuals with the Mear surname identified as White, making up 90.74% in 2000 and slightly increasing to 90.79% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic saw a significant increase from 3.33% in 2000 to 5.7% in 2010, a rise of 71.17%. However, there were no recorded bearers of the Mear surname who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year. Interestingly, the percentage of individuals with the Mear surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or Two or more races dropped from 2.22% in 2000 to 0% in 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census.

20002010Change
White90.74%90.79%0.06%
Hispanic3.33%5.7%71.17%
Asian/Pacific Islander2.22%0%0%
Two or More Races2.22%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%