Explore the Family Name Wear
The meaning of Wear
English (Northumbria): 1. topographic name for someone who lived by the Wear river in northeastern England. The river name is ancient, occuring in the form Vedra in Ptolemy’s Geographia; it is probably from a Celtic word meaning ‘water’. 2. topographic name for someone who lived near a dam or weir, a variant of Ware 1, or a habitational name from a place called Weare, in Devon and Somerset, from Old English wær, wer ‘weir’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wear in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Wear" saw some fluctuations in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 9,050 in popularity, but dropped slightly to 9,366 by 2010, marking a 3.49% decrease. However, the actual count of people with the surname increased from 3,321 to 3,473 during this period, showing a growth rate of 4.58%. The proportion of individuals named "Wear" per 100,000 also saw a slight decline of 4.07%, shifting from 1.23 to 1.18.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,050 | #9,366 | -3.49% |
| Count | 3,321 | 3,473 | 4.58% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.23 | 1.18 | -4.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wear
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Wear", the Decennial U.S. Census data shows diverse backgrounds. The majority of people with this name identify as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 93.26% in 2000 to 90.58% in 2010. However, other ethnic groups saw increases during this period. Those identifying as Hispanic showed a significant increase of 76.76%, while Asian/Pacific Islander representation also grew by 66.67%. People of Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native backgrounds also increased their proportions, with growth rates of 34.17%, 23.26%, and 30.67% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.26% | 90.58% | -2.87% |
| Black | 3.01% | 3.71% | 23.26% |
| Hispanic | 1.42% | 2.51% | 76.76% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 1.61% | 34.17% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.75% | 0.98% | 30.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.6% | 66.67% |
Wear ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Wear is British & Irish, which comprises 54.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.1%) and Scandinavian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Filipino & Austronesian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.1% |
| French & German | 29.1% |
| Scandinavian | 4.3% |
| Other | 12.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Wear
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Wear have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
What Wear haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Wear is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-A7756 and I-M170, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Percival, Funk, Lavender, Boykin, Colby, Emmons, Rowley, Collard, Camp, Lent.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wear surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Wear have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Wear" Surname 36.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Wear" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wear" Surname 26.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Wear" Surname 13.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wear?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Wear are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition