NameCensus.

UK surname

Spears

An occupational surname referring to a maker of spears or a soldier armed with a spear.

In the 1881 census there were 714 people recorded with the Spears surname, ranking it #5,094 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,220, ranked #4,880, up from #5,094 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Swale and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spears is 1,233 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.9%.

1881 census count

714

Ranked #5,094

Modern count

1,220

2016, ranked #4,880

Peak year

2010

1,233 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spears had 714 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,094 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,220 in 2016, ranked #4,880.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 898 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Spears surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spears surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spears 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 496 #5,039
1861 historical 533 #4,927
1881 historical 714 #5,094
1891 historical 810 #4,984
1901 historical 898 #5,154
1911 historical 851 #5,214
1997 modern 1,110 #5,032
1998 modern 1,135 #5,113
1999 modern 1,160 #5,067
2000 modern 1,162 #5,038
2001 modern 1,158 #4,963
2002 modern 1,180 #4,972
2003 modern 1,156 #4,961
2004 modern 1,150 #5,001
2005 modern 1,138 #4,987
2006 modern 1,138 #4,982
2007 modern 1,159 #4,954
2008 modern 1,158 #4,979
2009 modern 1,180 #5,008
2010 modern 1,233 #4,932
2011 modern 1,199 #4,983
2012 modern 1,191 #4,945
2013 modern 1,217 #4,930
2014 modern 1,228 #4,922
2015 modern 1,203 #4,961
2016 modern 1,220 #4,880

Geography

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Where Spears' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Edinburgh, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Swale, Braintree and North Devon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 Swale 016 Swale
4 Braintree 015 Braintree
5 North Devon 004 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spears

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spears

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Spears surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Spears household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Spears is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Spears 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

Spears falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Spears

The surname Spears has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "spere," which means a spear or lance, a weapon commonly used by medieval soldiers and knights. This surname likely originated as an occupational name or a descriptive nickname for someone who was skilled in the use of spears or lances, perhaps a soldier or a knight.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Spears can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1196, where a person named William Spere is mentioned. Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Worcestershire in 1207, which mentions a Richard le Spere.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Spere, Sper, and Spear. These variations reflect the phonetic spelling of the name during that time period. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 record a John le Spere, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 mention a William Spere.

One notable individual with the surname Spears was Sir John Spears, a Scottish soldier and military engineer who lived in the 16th century (c. 1545-1599). He served under King James VI of Scotland and was involved in fortifying various castles and defensive structures.

Another significant figure was Richard Spears, an English clergyman and academic who lived in the 17th century (c. 1630-1683). He was the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and played a role in the intellectual life of the university during that time.

In the 18th century, a prominent individual with the surname Spears was John Spears, an English architect and surveyor (c. 1720-1795). He was involved in the design and construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Blackfriars Bridge and the Adelphi Terrace.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Spears, a Scottish businessman and philanthropist (1801-1883). He founded the Spears Axe Company, which became a successful manufacturer of tools and hardware, and he also donated funds for the establishment of educational institutions in his hometown of Ayr.

Another notable figure from the 19th century was Robert Spears, an American lawyer and politician (1825-1899). He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi and was active in the Democratic Party during the Reconstruction era.

While the surname Spears has been present throughout history, it continues to be a name of significance, with various individuals making their mark in various fields across different time periods and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spears families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spears 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 72 Spears' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.04x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 72 1.04x
Sussex 69 5.88x
Durham 61 2.95x
Lancashire 55 0.67x
Midlothian 52 5.58x
Kent 51 2.15x
Yorkshire 48 0.70x
Warwickshire 42 2.39x
Northumberland 37 3.58x
Lanarkshire 35 1.56x
Fife 22 5.34x
Devon 18 1.24x
Glamorgan 18 1.49x
Surrey 17 0.50x
Dunbartonshire 15 8.03x
Hampshire 11 0.77x
Cheshire 9 0.59x
Staffordshire 8 0.34x
Ayrshire 7 1.34x
Gloucestershire 7 0.51x
Oxfordshire 7 1.63x
Angus 6 0.93x
Derbyshire 6 0.55x
Cornwall 5 0.64x
East Lothian 4 4.34x
Lincolnshire 4 0.36x
Merionethshire 4 3.14x
Cumberland 3 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.32x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.31x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.71x
Essex 2 0.15x
West Lothian 2 1.91x
Argyllshire 1 0.52x
Berwickshire 1 1.19x
Monmouthshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.32x
Roxburghshire 1 0.79x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Wiltshire 1 0.16x
Worcestershire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deal in Kent leads with 29 Spears' recorded in 1881 and an index of 143.28x.

Place Total Index
Deal 29 143.28x
Aston 25 5.18x
Barony 22 3.86x
Birmingham 17 2.91x
North Sunderland 15 632.91x
Hastings St Leonards 14 81.21x
Udimore 14 1359.22x
Cardiff St Andrews 11 802.92x
Chopwell 11 286.46x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 12.27x
Manchester 11 2.96x
Minster In Sheppey 11 27.98x
Stow 11 229.65x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.31x
Bromley London 10 6.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 2.67x
Tormoham 10 16.32x
Washington 10 115.21x
Dumbarton 9 34.59x
Hollington 9 215.83x
Hulme 9 5.22x
Newfield 9 327.27x
St Pancras London 9 1.61x
Stockton On Tees 9 9.02x
Battersea 8 3.13x
Govan 8 1.44x
Islington London 8 1.19x
Eryholme 7 1590.91x
Failsworth 7 37.08x
Inveresk 7 27.74x
Lambeth 7 1.15x
Mile End Old Town 7 6.38x
Westfield 7 280.00x
Arbroath 6 28.10x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 9.15x
Castleford 6 23.90x
Derby St Werburgh 6 9.54x
Dunfermline 6 9.48x
Ealing 6 9.65x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 33.13x
Hastings St Mary In The 6 23.98x
Ilkley 6 53.29x
Kilbirnie 6 48.00x
Kingsteignton 6 148.88x
Kirkdale 6 4.32x
Roath 6 10.91x
Shoreditch London 6 1.99x
Thornaby 6 23.30x
Battle 5 63.21x
Chatham 5 7.66x
Cowley 5 37.29x
Cramond 5 70.82x
East Chevington 5 145.35x
Gorran 5 226.24x
Inverkeithing 5 80.65x
New Kilpatrick 5 28.12x
Portsmouth 5 15.23x
Sheffield 5 2.28x
Westgate 5 7.80x
York Marygate St Olave 5 188.68x
Burntisland 4 34.75x
Cockpen 4 36.73x
Kingswinford 4 4.69x
Monks Coppenhall 4 6.90x
Newbattle 4 50.25x
Portsea 4 1.43x
South Leith 4 3.82x
Trawsfynydd 4 86.96x
Trimdon 4 54.72x
Abbotshall 3 19.51x
Beckenham 3 9.67x
Brighton 3 1.27x
Byker 3 5.86x
Clifton 3 4.35x
Enfield 3 6.57x
Grantham 3 20.70x
Haddington 3 22.06x
Liverpool 3 0.60x
New Monkland 3 4.51x
Upper Hallam 3 50.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 15
Jane 12
Emma 11
Annie 10
Emily 10
Ellen 9
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Maria 7
Louisa 6
Isabella 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Caroline 4
Fanny 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Margret 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Clarissa 2
Dora 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Janet 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Thersa 2
Char. 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizb. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 43
James 20
Thomas 18
George 11
Robert 11
Charles 10
Henry 10
Samuel 10
Alfred 8
Wm. 7
Alexander 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Saml. 6
Joseph 5
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Thos. 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Charley 2
Earnest 2
Frederick 2
Ralph 2
Walter 2
Chas.Alf. 1
Collin 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
F.T.C. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.A. 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
King 1
Leapold 1
Lewis 1
Mattw. 1
Melchizedek 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Ronald 1
Ross 1

FAQ

Spears surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spears surname in 1881?

In 1881, 714 people were recorded with the Spears surname. That placed it at #5,094 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spears surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,220 in 2016. That gives Spears a modern rank of #4,880.

What does the Spears surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker of spears or a soldier armed with a spear.

What does the Spears map show?

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