NameCensus.

UK surname

Wear

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold clothing or armor.

In the 1881 census there were 948 people recorded with the Wear surname, ranking it #4,073 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 806, ranked #6,867, down from #4,073 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Shropshire and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wear is 1,118 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.0%.

1881 census count

948

Ranked #4,073

Modern count

806

2016, ranked #6,867

Peak year

1901

1,118 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wear had 948 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,073 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 806 in 2016, ranked #6,867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,118 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wear 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 730 #3,598
1861 historical 816 #3,374
1881 historical 948 #4,073
1891 historical 1,069 #3,929
1901 historical 1,118 #4,329
1911 historical 1,112 #4,177
1997 modern 868 #6,137
1998 modern 865 #6,347
1999 modern 861 #6,418
2000 modern 878 #6,294
2001 modern 854 #6,314
2002 modern 827 #6,602
2003 modern 815 #6,554
2004 modern 834 #6,438
2005 modern 838 #6,368
2006 modern 806 #6,588
2007 modern 809 #6,622
2008 modern 790 #6,822
2009 modern 806 #6,843
2010 modern 807 #6,976
2011 modern 804 #6,918
2012 modern 773 #7,062
2013 modern 805 #6,916
2014 modern 805 #6,965
2015 modern 803 #6,917
2016 modern 806 #6,867

Geography

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Where Wears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, London parishes, Lambeth, Bradford and Sithney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Shropshire, Sunderland, Eden and Cornwall. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sithney Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 005 Copeland
2 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
3 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
4 Eden 005 Eden
5 Cornwall 071 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wear

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Wear is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wear is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wear 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 Wear is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wear

The surname WEAR is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "wer," which means a pool, weir, or dam. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with people who lived near a pool or weir, or worked in occupations related to the management of water systems.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WEAR surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name appears as "de Wer," indicating that it may have originally referred to someone who lived near a specific body of water.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname WEAR began to appear in various records and documents across England, often with variations in spelling such as "Weir," "Weare," and "Wyer." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

Notable individuals bearing the WEAR surname in history include John Wear (c. 1598-1665), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Chichester. Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Wear (1679-1762), a British naval officer who served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1729 to 1730.

In the literary world, the name is associated with James Wear (1853-1937), an English poet and journalist who published several collections of verse and worked as an editor for various newspapers.

Moving into the 20th century, Nathaniel Wear (1904-1990) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1945 to 1959.

More recently, the WEAR surname has been carried by individuals like Robert Wear (born 1951), an American author and professor of English literature, and Janelle Wear (born 1992), an Australian professional basketball player who has represented her country in international competitions.

While the WEAR surname may have originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, and individuals with this name can be found in various countries and cultures today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wear 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. Yorkshire leads with 225 Wears recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.48x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 225 2.48x
Northumberland 152 11.17x
Surrey 80 1.79x
Cumberland 73 9.27x
Durham 59 2.17x
Gloucestershire 54 3.01x
Shropshire 33 4.17x
Cornwall 32 3.09x
Middlesex 32 0.35x
Somerset 26 1.77x
Lancashire 25 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 21 1.70x
Kent 17 0.54x
Roxburghshire 14 8.45x
Selkirkshire 12 14.50x
Hampshire 11 0.59x
Glamorgan 9 0.56x
Clackmannanshire 8 10.59x
Staffordshire 8 0.26x
Essex 7 0.39x
Leicestershire 6 0.59x
Sussex 6 0.39x
Midlothian 4 0.33x
Worcestershire 4 0.33x
Cheshire 3 0.15x
Dorset 3 0.50x
Northamptonshire 3 0.35x
Stirlingshire 3 0.89x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Monmouthshire 2 0.30x
Devon 1 0.05x
Fife 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 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. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 32 Wears recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.01x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 32 4.01x
Preston Quarter 29 131.34x
Bisley 21 129.15x
Liversedge 20 49.55x
Sithney 20 191.02x
Westoe 19 12.31x
Elswick 18 16.57x
Huddersfield 18 13.63x
Corsenside 16 751.17x
Bedlington 14 30.80x
Bradford 14 6.38x
Gomersal 14 33.08x
Hawick 14 37.75x
Hexham 14 66.45x
Mitcham 14 49.68x
Whitehaven 14 33.34x
Abdon 13 2708.33x
Flimby 13 195.20x
Bowling 12 13.36x
North Clifton 12 2105.26x
Skipton 12 42.06x
Stoke St Milborough 12 727.27x
Bermondsey 11 4.04x
Sheffield 11 3.81x
Leeds 10 1.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 12.30x
Wallsend 10 23.16x
Baildon 9 52.72x
Burley In Wharfdale 9 112.36x
Hackney London 9 1.75x
Holy Trinity 9 4.13x
Kingston On Thames 9 8.40x
Morpeth 9 56.21x
Tickenham 9 865.38x
Alloa 8 21.83x
Byker 8 11.89x
Coedfrank 8 72.46x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 4.34x
Oldham 8 2.28x
Selkirk 8 34.31x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 4.14x
Congresbury 7 187.67x
Munslow 7 366.49x
Nether Hallam 7 5.71x
Newbottle 7 47.11x
Scarborough 7 8.50x
Bishop Auckland 6 16.43x
Clifton 6 6.61x
Evenwood Barony 6 64.79x
Greenwich 6 4.12x
Horton In Bradford 6 4.24x
Keswick 6 59.58x
Kirkdale 6 3.29x
Painswick 6 47.28x
Tetbury 6 59.00x
Andover 5 28.22x
Barnsley 5 5.35x
Brighton 5 1.61x
Chelsea London 5 1.81x
Chirton 5 16.23x
Detchant 5 1470.59x
East Retford 5 46.73x
Gorton 5 4.90x
Halifax 5 3.76x
Hartlepool 5 12.92x
Hexham West Quarter 5 714.29x
Pudsey 5 10.32x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 5 223.21x
Seal 5 99.21x
Walsall Foreign 5 3.13x
Whitby 5 16.36x
Woodford St Mary 5 245.10x
Bexley 4 14.49x
Camberwell 4 0.68x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.81x
Galashiels 4 13.07x
Guisbrough 4 20.19x
Islington London 4 0.45x
Longhurst 4 151.52x
Shoreditch London 4 1.01x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Wear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 948 people were recorded with the Wear surname. That placed it at #4,073 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 806 in 2016. That gives Wear a modern rank of #6,867.

What does the Wear surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold clothing or armor.

What does the Wear map show?

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