NameCensus.

UK surname

Spear

An occupational surname referring to a spearmaker or soldier armed with a spear.

In the 1881 census there were 1,407 people recorded with the Spear surname, ranking it #2,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,664, ranked #3,751, down from #2,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spear is 1,788 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

1,407

Ranked #2,950

Modern count

1,664

2016, ranked #3,751

Peak year

1999

1,788 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spear had 1,407 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,664 in 2016, ranked #3,751.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,753 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Spear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spear 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 966 #2,885
1861 historical 945 #2,933
1881 historical 1,407 #2,950
1891 historical 1,416 #3,079
1901 historical 1,654 #3,119
1911 historical 1,753 #2,804
1997 modern 1,722 #3,459
1998 modern 1,771 #3,498
1999 modern 1,788 #3,500
2000 modern 1,767 #3,524
2001 modern 1,735 #3,508
2002 modern 1,780 #3,499
2003 modern 1,740 #3,501
2004 modern 1,709 #3,572
2005 modern 1,696 #3,546
2006 modern 1,662 #3,615
2007 modern 1,658 #3,654
2008 modern 1,654 #3,690
2009 modern 1,700 #3,669
2010 modern 1,725 #3,703
2011 modern 1,724 #3,653
2012 modern 1,666 #3,714
2013 modern 1,685 #3,735
2014 modern 1,704 #3,712
2015 modern 1,680 #3,725
2016 modern 1,664 #3,751

Geography

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Where Spears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan and Teignbridge. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 004 Vale of Glamorgan
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 008 Vale of Glamorgan
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 006 Vale of Glamorgan
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 009 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Teignbridge 015 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spear

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spear, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Spear is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spear 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

Spear falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Spear

The surname Spear originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, derived from the Old English word "spere," which means a spear or lance. It was an occupational name given to individuals who made or used spears, or it could have been a nickname for someone who fought with a spear or had a particularly sharp demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Spear surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Spere" and "Spera."

During the Middle Ages, the Spear family flourished primarily in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. Variations of the name, like "Speere" and "Spier," were also common in these regions.

Notable individuals with the Spear surname include John Spear (c. 1495-1573), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Richard Spear (1596-1661) was a distinguished English soldier who fought in the English Civil War and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

In Scotland, the Spear surname was often spelled "Spier" or "Spiers." One notable bearer of this name was William Spiers (1609-1672), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.

The Spear family also had a presence in Ireland, where the name was sometimes spelled "Speer" or "Speir." A notable example was Sir John Speer (1734-1801), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of the Irish Parliament for County Donegal.

As the Spear family spread across the British Isles, the name appeared in various locales, sometimes adopting place names as part of the surname. For instance, the variant "Spearman" was common in the northern counties of England, particularly in Northumberland and Durham.

Throughout its history, the Spear surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including soldiers, merchants, politicians, and religious figures, reflecting the rich tapestry of British heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spear 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. Devon leads with 309 Spears recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.80x.

County Total Index
Devon 309 10.80x
Cornwall 243 15.62x
Somerset 166 7.50x
Middlesex 159 1.16x
Gloucestershire 90 3.34x
Lancashire 66 0.40x
Surrey 65 0.97x
Staffordshire 38 0.82x
Yorkshire 38 0.28x
Suffolk 29 1.73x
Leicestershire 23 1.51x
Durham 21 0.51x
Wiltshire 21 1.73x
Glamorgan 18 0.75x
Kent 16 0.34x
Northumberland 14 0.68x
Berkshire 12 1.16x
Cheshire 10 0.33x
Cumberland 10 0.85x
Shropshire 10 0.84x
Monmouthshire 8 0.81x
Dorset 7 0.78x
Warwickshire 7 0.20x
Derbyshire 5 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.27x
Royal Navy 4 2.44x
Essex 3 0.11x
Hampshire 2 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.66x
Worcestershire 2 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 61 Spears recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.03x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 61 24.03x
Lambeth 48 4.01x
Plymouth St Andrew 37 16.79x
Bedminster 32 15.39x
Crediton 31 114.35x
Kensington London 28 3.66x
Islington London 27 2.03x
Calstock 18 58.98x
Bodmin 16 62.16x
East Stonehouse 16 28.39x
East Harptree 15 482.32x
Walcot 15 12.73x
Callington 14 154.36x
Padstow 14 135.40x
Buckland Monachorum 13 212.77x
Mile End Old Town 13 5.99x
Sandford 13 185.71x
Chew Magna 12 154.84x
Gorran 12 274.60x
Leigh On Mendip 12 553.00x
Linkinhorne 12 110.70x
Pillaton 12 754.72x
St Columb Major 12 92.95x
Plymouth Charles The 11 8.73x
Spitalfields London 11 10.64x
Burnley 10 7.28x
Clerkenwell London 10 3.08x
Everton 10 1.92x
Inwardleigh 10 413.22x
Marwood 10 263.16x
Rickinghall Superior 10 373.13x
St George Hanover 10 5.57x
Week St Mary 10 408.16x
Beccles 9 33.41x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 13.74x
Haydock 9 32.03x
Monks Coppenhall 9 7.86x
Penarth 9 38.48x
Stockton On Tees 9 4.57x
Stoke Damerel 9 4.49x
Trowbridge 9 16.75x
West Bromwich 9 3.39x
Arlecdon 8 25.42x
Bristol St James In 8 20.18x
Harborne 8 5.38x
Ludlow St Lawrence 8 33.87x
Melton Mowbray 8 29.20x
Midsomer Norton 8 38.39x
Modbury 8 109.44x
North Skirlaugh 8 597.01x
St Marylebone London 8 1.09x
Toxteth Park 8 1.45x
West Derby 8 1.68x
Yeovil 8 17.80x
Cheltenham 7 3.37x
Christchurch 7 22.77x
Clawton 7 334.93x
Exeter St Edmund 7 113.45x
Exeter St George The 7 221.52x
Gateshead 7 2.29x
Hallaton 7 207.10x
Landulph 7 294.12x
Liverpool 7 0.71x
Maker 7 48.71x
Menheniot 7 108.36x
Sandhurst 7 35.04x
St Austell 7 13.16x
Stoke Climsland 7 70.42x
Tipton 7 4.93x
Upton Pyne 7 366.49x
Withycombe Rawleigh 7 46.98x
Antony 6 39.92x
Baltonsborough 6 181.27x
Camborne 6 9.36x
Hatherleigh 6 84.27x
Little Petherick 6 588.24x
Madron 6 47.73x
St Dominick 6 153.85x
St Pancras London 6 0.54x
Swindon 6 6.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 118
Elizabeth 64
Sarah 38
Eliza 29
Jane 28
Ann 26
Emma 26
Alice 25
Ellen 17
Emily 16
Kate 15
Charlotte 12
Edith 12
Louisa 12
Florence 10
Anne 8
Annie 8
Julia 8
Amelia 7
Caroline 7
Susan 7
Ada 6
Ethel 6
Fanny 6
Margaret 6
Maria 6
Martha 6
Rose 6
Bessie 5
Celia 5
Elizth. 5
Frances 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Lucy 5
Catherine 4
Grace 4
Laura 4
Rebecca 4
Anna 3
Clara 3
Jessie 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Charlott 2
Cordelia 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 106
William 101
George 49
James 35
Thomas 35
Richard 22
Samuel 22
Henry 21
Charles 16
Alfred 15
Edward 14
Joseph 14
Frederick 13
Albert 12
Arthur 12
Edwin 10
Robert 9
Walter 8
Francis 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
Fredrick 5
Christopher 4
Isaac 4
Mark 4
Abraham 3
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Gregory 3
Philip 3
Valentine 3
Absolem 2
Benjamin 2
Caleb 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Fred 2
Fred. 2
Geo. 2
Matthew 2
Nathan 2
Noble 2
Oliver 2
Phillip 2
Ralph 2
Saml. 2
Sebastin 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Spear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,407 people were recorded with the Spear surname. That placed it at #2,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,664 in 2016. That gives Spear a modern rank of #3,751.

What does the Spear surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a spearmaker or soldier armed with a spear.

What does the Spear map show?

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