NameCensus.

UK surname

Rear

Originally referred to one who lived at the rear or back of a place.

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Rear surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 252, ranked #16,699, up from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kyme, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, North Kesteven and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rear is 275 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 127.0%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

252

2016, ranked #16,699

Peak year

1997

275 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rear had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 252 in 2016, ranked #16,699.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 203 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rear 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 189 #12,570
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 203 #14,831
1997 modern 275 #14,335
1998 modern 274 #14,759
1999 modern 272 #14,912
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 266 #15,156
2003 modern 270 #14,825
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 263 #15,215
2007 modern 263 #15,366
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 242 #17,001
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 256 #16,643
2015 modern 255 #16,564
2016 modern 252 #16,699

Geography

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Where Rears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kyme, London parishes, Gateshead, Boston (incl. Boston allotments) and Hale, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, North Kesteven, Melton and Allerdale. 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 Kyme Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
5 Hale, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 North Kesteven 009 North Kesteven
3 Melton 006 Melton
4 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
5 North Kesteven 011 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rear

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rear, 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 Rear surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rear 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, Rear 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

Rear is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rear falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rear 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 Rear, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rear

The surname REAR is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "rere," meaning "rear" or "back part." It was likely initially used as a descriptive name, referring to someone who lived at the back of a property or in the rear part of a town or village.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname REAR date back to the 13th century, with references found in various historical documents such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire (1273) and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire (1327). These records suggest that the name was initially concentrated in the Midlands region of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname REAR was William Rere, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. Another notable individual was John Rere, a renowned 14th-century cleric and scholar who served as the Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1349 to 1350.

During the Middle Ages, the surname REAR underwent various spelling variations, including Rere, Reare, and Reyre, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling during that time period. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the Old French word "riere," which also meant "rear" or "behind."

In the 16th century, the surname REAR appeared in the records of the parish of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, with mentions of individuals such as Thomas Rere (born in 1562) and Margery Rere (born in 1568).

The surname REAR has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Rear Close in Wiltshire and Rear Hill in Worcestershire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of REAR families in those areas.

Over the centuries, the REAR surname has been borne by several notable individuals, including:

1. William Rere (fl. 1301), mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. 2. John Rere (c. 1300-1376), Chancellor of the University of Oxford. 3. Thomas Rere (1562-1628), a merchant and landowner from Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. 4. John Rear (1729-1803), a British naval officer and explorer. 5. William Rear (1786-1865), an English artist and engraver.

While the surname REAR may have originated as a descriptive name, it has evolved into a well-established English surname with a rich historical legacy spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rear 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. Lincolnshire leads with 63 Rears recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.07x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 63 36.07x
Surrey 19 3.57x
Durham 8 2.46x
Yorkshire 6 0.55x
Glamorgan 4 2.10x
Northumberland 3 1.85x
Kent 2 0.54x
Lancashire 2 0.15x
Middlesex 2 0.18x
Cornwall 1 0.81x
Derbyshire 1 0.58x
Leicestershire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 9 Rears recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.39x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 9 22.39x
North Kyme 9 3461.54x
Wimbledon 8 133.78x
Bloxholm 7 17500.00x
Heckington 6 909.09x
South Kyme 6 3000.00x
Spittlegate 6 247.93x
Boston 5 94.34x
New Sleaford 5 446.43x
Silk Willoughby 5 5000.00x
Denaby 4 655.74x
Hungerton Cum Wyville 4 10000.00x
Penarth 3 161.29x
Burton Pedwardine 2 2500.00x
Chester Le Street 2 80.00x
Elswick 2 15.42x
Great Hale 2 769.23x
Hartlepool 2 43.29x
Sharples 2 141.84x
Somerby In Grantham 2 454.55x
Stranton 2 18.28x
Woolwich 2 14.52x
Billinghay 1 185.19x
Camberwell 1 1.43x
Earsdon 1 75.76x
Esh 1 42.37x
Grantham 1 43.86x
Gwennap 1 42.92x
Horbling 1 526.32x
Lambeth 1 1.05x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.39x
Little Hale 1 714.29x
Long Riston 1 714.29x
St Pancras London 1 1.14x
Swansea Town 1 6.41x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 34.97x
Westminster St James 1 8.90x
Westoe 1 5.43x
Wingfield South 1 217.39x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 9
Henry 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
George 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Lewis 1
Peare 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Rear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Rear surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 252 in 2016. That gives Rear a modern rank of #16,699.

What does the Rear surname mean?

Originally referred to one who lived at the rear or back of a place.

What does the Rear map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rear 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.