NameCensus.

UK surname

Spearing

A surname potentially derived from someone who wielded a spear or worked as a spear maker.

In the 1881 census there were 571 people recorded with the Spearing surname, ranking it #6,089 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 715, ranked #7,592, down from #6,089 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wookey, London parishes and Kingston-on-Thames. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Weymouth and Portland and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spearing is 906 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

571

Ranked #6,089

Modern count

715

2016, ranked #7,592

Peak year

1911

906 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spearing had 571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,089 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 715 in 2016, ranked #7,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 906 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Spearing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spearing surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spearing 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 433 #5,664
1861 historical 380 #6,726
1881 historical 571 #6,089
1891 historical 694 #5,646
1901 historical 831 #5,455
1911 historical 906 #4,926
1997 modern 799 #6,544
1998 modern 833 #6,544
1999 modern 826 #6,633
2000 modern 805 #6,734
2001 modern 771 #6,835
2002 modern 797 #6,794
2003 modern 755 #6,982
2004 modern 748 #7,033
2005 modern 747 #6,986
2006 modern 748 #6,996
2007 modern 762 #6,964
2008 modern 752 #7,089
2009 modern 757 #7,198
2010 modern 754 #7,352
2011 modern 774 #7,133
2012 modern 752 #7,209
2013 modern 754 #7,311
2014 modern 761 #7,281
2015 modern 738 #7,413
2016 modern 715 #7,592

Geography

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Where Spearings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wookey, London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Curry, North. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Weymouth and Portland, South Somerset, North Lincolnshire and West Berkshire. 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 Wookey Somerset
2 London parishes London 1
3 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Curry, North Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
2 Weymouth and Portland 003 Weymouth and Portland
3 South Somerset 020 South Somerset
4 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
5 West Berkshire 001 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spearing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spearing

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Spearing is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spearing is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spearing 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 Spearing 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 Spearing, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Spearing

The surname SPEARING is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'spere' and 'inca', meaning 'spearman' or 'spear carrier'. This was an occupational surname given to those who were trained in the use of spears, particularly in battle or warfare.

The earliest known record of the surname SPEARING appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a William Speringe is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in certain areas of England by the late 12th century.

During the Middle Ages, the SPEARING surname was particularly prominent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Somerset. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of this name may have been soldiers or members of the local militia tasked with defending these regions.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a series of census-like records commissioned by King Edward I, there are several references to individuals with the SPEARING surname or variations of it, such as Speringman and Speryng.

One notable figure in history who bore this surname was Sir John Spearing (1512-1581), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the city of Bristol during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was an influential figure in the city's trade and shipping industry.

Another prominent individual was Captain Thomas Spearing (1640-1714), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was involved in several battles against the Dutch and French fleets during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession.

In the 18th century, a member of the SPEARING family, Richard Spearing (1744-1815), was a noted surveyor and cartographer. He was responsible for mapping and surveying various parts of England, including the counties of Hampshire and Wiltshire.

The SPEARING surname has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Spearinghurst in Kent and Spearing Meadow in Oxfordshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the SPEARING surname or derived from variations of the name.

In more recent times, notable figures with the SPEARING surname include Sir John Spearing (1892-1969), a British civil servant and former Governor of the Bank of England, and Michael Spearing (1936-2022), an English literary critic and scholar who specialized in the works of William Wordsworth and other Romantic poets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spearing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spearing 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. Middlesex leads with 140 Spearings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 140 2.50x
Somerset 124 13.73x
Surrey 70 2.56x
Hampshire 68 5.91x
Dorset 28 7.61x
Kent 24 1.25x
Sussex 15 1.59x
Lancashire 12 0.18x
Wiltshire 12 2.42x
Yorkshire 11 0.20x
Warwickshire 9 0.64x
Cheshire 8 0.65x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.97x
Oxfordshire 6 1.73x
Derbyshire 5 0.57x
Devon 5 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.66x
Durham 4 0.24x
Gloucestershire 4 0.36x
Royal Navy 4 5.98x
Berkshire 2 0.48x
Norfolk 2 0.23x
Shropshire 2 0.41x
Bedfordshire 1 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.29x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.90x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crewkerne in Somerset leads with 35 Spearings recorded in 1881 and an index of 364.96x.

Place Total Index
Crewkerne 35 364.96x
North Curry 20 651.47x
Willesden 19 35.94x
Battersea 18 8.72x
Lambeth 15 3.07x
St Marylebone London 15 5.01x
Gussage All Sts 14 1750.00x
Hammersmith London 14 10.13x
Reigate Foreign 12 40.55x
Hackney London 10 3.18x
Kensington London 10 3.21x
Winsham 10 606.06x
St George Hanover 9 12.29x
Aston 8 2.05x
Crompton 8 42.22x
Hardington Mandeville 8 655.74x
Rotherhithe 8 11.54x
Southampton St Mary 8 11.07x
St Giles In Fields 8 41.34x
Bethnal Green London 7 2.87x
Chesterton 7 63.93x
Cucklington 7 1346.15x
High Ham 7 325.58x
Moore Critchell 7 1000.00x
Portishead 7 104.32x
Runcorn 7 24.52x
Bishopstoke 6 203.39x
Farnborough 6 215.05x
Henley On Thames 6 84.51x
Islington London 6 1.10x
Portsea 6 2.66x
Shadwell London 6 38.22x
Shapwick 6 705.88x
St Thomas Winchester 6 73.89x
Westminster St John 6 8.78x
Alverstoke 5 12.02x
Brighton 5 2.62x
Camberwell 5 1.40x
Derby St Werburgh 5 9.86x
Fordingbridge 5 80.00x
Hove 5 12.05x
Lewisham 5 4.90x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.56x
Sheffield 5 2.83x
Southampton All Sts 5 25.34x
St Pancras London 5 1.11x
Alton 4 46.19x
Buckhorn Weston 4 400.00x
Chelsea London 4 2.37x
Christchurch 4 16.04x
Elton 4 17.39x
Kingston On Thames 4 6.09x
Newington 4 1.93x
Orpington 4 68.26x
Royal Navy 4 7.00x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 50.38x
Stoke St Gregory 4 145.99x
Tamerton Foliott 4 177.78x
Wincanton 4 86.02x
Wookey 4 201.01x
Yeovil 4 21.80x
Durley 3 329.67x
East Thickley 3 88.76x
Eastbourne 3 6.89x
Edmonton 3 6.64x
Hampton London 3 32.54x
Millbrook 3 10.36x
Monxton 3 576.92x
Paddington London 3 1.45x
South Hayling 3 146.34x
St Mary Cray 3 81.97x
Swindon 3 7.80x
Westbury On Trym 3 8.05x
Britford 2 60.98x
Downton 2 30.82x
East Tisbury 2 116.96x
Fulham London 2 2.46x
Greenwich 2 2.24x
Holy Trinity 2 1.50x
St Anne Soho London 2 6.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 29
James 24
George 23
Henry 20
Joseph 15
Charles 14
Thomas 11
Frederick 10
Robert 8
Frank 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Harry 4
David 3
Samuel 3
A. 2
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Infant 2
Simon 2
Tom 2
Berkley 1
Cornelius 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Emmanuel 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Henery 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Joe 1
Martin 1
Ned 1
Osborn 1
Owen 1
Paul 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Silas 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Spearing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spearing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 571 people were recorded with the Spearing surname. That placed it at #6,089 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spearing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 715 in 2016. That gives Spearing a modern rank of #7,592.

What does the Spearing surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from someone who wielded a spear or worked as a spear maker.

What does the Spearing map show?

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