Explore the Family Name Shears
The meaning of Shears
English: variant of Shear or Shire, with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shears in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the Shears surname has experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of the surname fell by 1.36 percent from 8481 to 8596. However, the number of people with the Shears surname increased by 7.1 percent, from 3577 individuals in 2000 to 3831 in 2010. This growth led to a small decrease in the proportion per 100,000 people, down 2.26 percent from 1.33 to 1.3.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,481 | #8,596 | -1.36% |
| Count | 3,577 | 3,831 | 7.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.33 | 1.3 | -2.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shears
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the Shears surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest group, those identifying as White, declined slightly from 60.53 percent to 58.21 percent. The second-largest group, those identifying as Black, saw a minor increase from 34.02 percent to 35.06 percent. The percentage of people with this surname identifying as Hispanic also rose, from 3.44 percent to 4.05 percent. Meanwhile, new categories emerged: those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, both at less than one percent. Finally, those identifying with two or more races saw an increase of 26.21 percent, making it the fastest growing category, though still relatively small at 1.83 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 60.53% | 58.21% | -3.83% |
| Black | 34.02% | 35.06% | 3.06% |
| Hispanic | 3.44% | 4.05% | 17.73% |
| Two or More Races | 1.45% | 1.83% | 26.21% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.63% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.23% | 0% |