Explore the Family Name Pear
The meaning of Pear
1. English: topographic name from residence by a pear tree (Middle English pere, Old English peru, pere). Compare Perry. 2. English: nickname from Middle English pere, Old French per, peer ‘peer or paragon’, also ‘companion’. 3. English: from Middle English and Old French Per(e), Perre (equivalent to Peter). Compare Pierce and Pearson. 4. Croatian: variant of Pehar, a nickname or a metonymic occupational name from pehar ‘drinking-cup, goblet’. 5. Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname, perhaps a shortened form of Pearlman or Pearlstein. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Dov.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pear in the United States?
The surname Pear, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, experienced a decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 42,677 with 478 individuals bearing the name, corresponding to a proportion of 0.18 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had slipped to 51,281 with only 406 individuals bearing the surname, reducing its proportion to 0.14 per 100,000 people. This represents a decline of 20.16% in its rank and a 15.06% fall in its count.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,677 | #51,281 | -20.16% |
| Count | 478 | 406 | -15.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.14 | -22.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pear
In terms of ethnic identity, the Pear surname showed notable changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander more than doubled, from 1.05% to 2.22%. The percentage identifying as Black also increased slightly, from 9.83% to 10.34%. On the other hand, the percentage of people with the Pear surname who identified as White saw a slight decrease, from 83.89% to 83.00%, while those identifying as Hispanic decreased from 4.60% to 4.19%. No change was noted for those identifying with two or more races or as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.89% | 83% | -1.06% |
| Black | 9.83% | 10.34% | 5.19% |
| Hispanic | 4.6% | 4.19% | -8.91% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.05% | 2.22% | 111.43% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |