NameCensus.

UK surname

Fear

An English surname derived from the Old French word "feor," meaning wild animal or game.

In the 1881 census there were 1,329 people recorded with the Fear surname, ranking it #3,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,984, ranked #3,244, down from #3,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, North Somerset and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fear is 2,191 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.3%.

1881 census count

1,329

Ranked #3,088

Modern count

1,984

2016, ranked #3,244

Peak year

1998

2,191 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fear had 1,329 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,984 in 2016, ranked #3,244.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,026 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fear surname distribution map

The map shows where the Fear surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Fear surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Fear over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 987 #2,829
1861 historical 1,002 #2,783
1881 historical 1,329 #3,088
1891 historical 1,475 #2,984
1901 historical 1,834 #2,868
1911 historical 2,026 #2,458
1997 modern 2,142 #2,884
1998 modern 2,191 #2,924
1999 modern 2,186 #2,956
2000 modern 2,180 #2,946
2001 modern 2,120 #2,958
2002 modern 2,165 #2,967
2003 modern 2,103 #2,975
2004 modern 2,093 #2,996
2005 modern 2,036 #3,028
2006 modern 2,003 #3,093
2007 modern 2,006 #3,122
2008 modern 1,996 #3,151
2009 modern 2,038 #3,164
2010 modern 2,088 #3,163
2011 modern 2,081 #3,136
2012 modern 2,023 #3,166
2013 modern 2,046 #3,185
2014 modern 2,060 #3,186
2015 modern 2,033 #3,185
2016 modern 1,984 #3,244

Geography

Back to top

Where Fears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, North Somerset and Mendip. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 003 Sedgemoor
2 North Somerset 013 North Somerset
3 Sedgemoor 005 Sedgemoor
4 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
5 Mendip 005 Mendip

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Fear

These lists show first names that appear often with the Fear surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Fear

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fear, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Fear surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fear household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fear is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fear is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fear falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fear is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fear, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fear

The surname Fear originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "fær," which meant "danger" or "peril." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a particularly hazardous area or worked in a dangerous occupation.

One of the earliest known references to the Fear surname can be found in the Domesday Book, which was compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in the records of several counties, including Norfolk and Suffolk, indicating its widespread use in the region at the time.

In the 13th century, records show a William Fear residing in the village of Oxenhall, Gloucestershire. This may be one of the earliest documented instances of the surname in its modern spelling.

During the 14th century, the Fear surname was also associated with the village of Fearney, near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. It is possible that the name originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a place called Fearney.

Notable individuals with the surname Fear throughout history include:

1. John Fear (c. 1550-1622), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Giles' Church in Norwich.

2. William Fear (1624-1691), a English merchant and landowner who owned a large estate in Gloucestershire.

3. Elizabeth Fear (1670-1738), a British Quaker minister and author known for her religious writings.

4. Samuel Fear (1791-1865), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Old Vic Theatre.

5. William Fear (1823-1896), a British soldier and military engineer who served in the Crimean War and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery.

The Fear surname has also been associated with various place names over the centuries, such as Fearnhill in Gloucestershire, Fearnhead in Cheshire, and Fearn in Ross-shire, Scotland. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Fear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fear surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 684 Fears recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.80x.

County Total Index
Somerset 684 32.80x
Gloucestershire 210 8.27x
Middlesex 111 0.86x
Wiltshire 46 4.02x
Surrey 30 0.48x
Devon 27 1.00x
Lancashire 26 0.17x
Glamorgan 25 1.11x
Warwickshire 20 0.61x
Kent 18 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 17 6.61x
Monmouthshire 16 1.71x
Cambridgeshire 14 1.71x
Cheshire 12 0.42x
Hampshire 10 0.38x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Berkshire 7 0.72x
Brecknockshire 6 2.32x
Cardiganshire 6 1.90x
Herefordshire 6 1.13x
Durham 5 0.13x
Lincolnshire 5 0.24x
Worcestershire 5 0.30x
Essex 4 0.16x
Dorset 3 0.35x
Leicestershire 2 0.14x
Merionethshire 1 0.42x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.24x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weston Super Mare in Somerset leads with 51 Fears recorded in 1881 and an index of 96.87x.

Place Total Index
Weston Super Mare 51 96.87x
Chew Magna 49 670.31x
Ashwick 45 1335.31x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 45 18.81x
Blagdon 34 774.49x
Timsbury 27 427.22x
Warminster 27 107.57x
Clifton 25 19.46x
Wedmore 24 176.86x
Keynsham 23 153.64x
Mark 23 473.25x
Westbury On Trym 23 26.72x
Lyncombe Widcombe 22 40.29x
Cheltenham 21 10.71x
Bedminster 20 10.21x
Islington London 20 1.59x
Hutton 19 1241.83x
Twerton 18 83.72x
Aston 17 1.89x
Beckington 16 389.29x
Bedwellty 15 9.07x
Hinton Blewett 15 1546.39x
Midsomer Norton 15 76.37x
North Petherton 15 89.18x
Uphill 14 489.51x
Weston 14 87.34x
Great Torrington 13 85.02x
Lambeth 13 1.15x
Berkeley 11 77.79x
Tottenham 11 5.33x
Bristol Christchurch 10 271.00x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 10 27.95x
Glastonbury 10 58.75x
St Pancras London 10 0.96x
Walcot 10 9.00x
Frome 9 18.05x
Fulham London 9 4.79x
Trowbridge 9 17.77x
Banwell 8 105.12x
Bristol St George 8 6.81x
Bristol St James In 8 21.41x
Dundry 8 318.73x
Kewstoke 8 243.90x
Melksham 8 40.22x
Shapwick 8 408.16x
Westminster St John 8 5.07x
Wookey 8 174.29x
Bitton 7 31.66x
Bluntisham 7 145.23x
Bristol St Peter 7 77.01x
Bristol Temple 7 41.84x
Burnham 7 44.03x
Monks Coppenhall 7 6.49x
Shepton Mallet 7 29.91x
Winscombe 7 124.33x
Ystradyfodwg 7 3.54x
Aberystwyth 6 119.52x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 5.02x
Bishops Hull 6 89.02x
Brenchley 6 37.93x
Brislington 6 154.64x
Bristol St Paul In 6 8.86x
Chilton Polden 6 382.17x
Enfield 6 7.06x
Hemingford Grey 6 152.28x
Hereford St Owen 6 34.21x
Huntspill 6 70.26x
Isleworth 6 10.42x
Llangattock 6 28.44x
Otterhampton 6 566.04x
Staines 6 29.25x
Swainswick 6 213.52x
Taunton St Mary 6 15.67x
Toxteth Park 6 1.15x
Westminster St James 6 4.51x
Woolwich 6 3.67x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 5.90x
Broughton In Salford 5 3.56x
Thornbury 5 28.79x
Trull 5 117.37x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fear surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 70
Elizabeth 56
Sarah 55
Jane 30
Alice 28
Ellen 26
Eliza 25
Emily 25
Emma 23
Ann 18
Annie 17
Florence 12
Charlotte 11
Hannah 11
Louisa 11
Edith 9
Martha 9
Amelia 8
Anne 8
Fanny 8
Harriet 7
Minnie 7
Bessie 6
Caroline 6
Maria 6
Amy 5
Clara 5
Lilly 5
Lucy 5
Matilda 5
Ada 4
Frances 4
Kate 4
Nellie 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Beatrice 3
Gertrude 3
Hester 3
Lillie 3
Lily 3
Lydia 3
M.A. 3
Melinda 3
Mercy 3
Rhoda 3
Alma 2
Eva 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fear surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 72
George 46
John 45
Charles 40
Henry 35
James 33
Albert 19
Edward 17
Frank 17
Joseph 17
Walter 17
Alfred 16
Frederick 16
Richard 16
Thomas 16
Samuel 15
Ernest 13
Arthur 12
Edwin 10
Harry 10
Herbert 10
Robert 8
Francis 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Fred 5
Jesse 5
Daniel 4
Edgar 3
Hugh 3
Leonard 3
Mark 3
Oliver 3
Uriah 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
Clifford 2
Edmund 2
Eli 2
Elijah 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Gilbert 2
Jared 2
Job 2
Percy 2
Randolph 2
Theodore 2
Wm.Lyne 1

FAQ

Fear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,329 people were recorded with the Fear surname. That placed it at #3,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,984 in 2016. That gives Fear a modern rank of #3,244.

What does the Fear surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "feor," meaning wild animal or game.

What does the Fear map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fear bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.