NameCensus.

UK surname

Weare

An English habitational surname derived from places called "Weare" or "Wear".

In the 1881 census there were 533 people recorded with the Weare surname, ranking it #6,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 528, ranked #9,603, down from #6,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Milborne Port, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Sedgemoor and Monmouthshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weare is 664 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

533

Ranked #6,449

Modern count

528

2016, ranked #9,603

Peak year

1911

664 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weare had 533 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016, ranked #9,603.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 664 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weare surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weare surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weare 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 390 #6,155
1861 historical 415 #6,187
1881 historical 533 #6,449
1891 historical 589 #6,485
1901 historical 652 #6,629
1911 historical 664 #6,331
1997 modern 586 #8,283
1998 modern 608 #8,310
1999 modern 607 #8,379
2000 modern 602 #8,402
2001 modern 571 #8,575
2002 modern 563 #8,821
2003 modern 551 #8,831
2004 modern 542 #8,956
2005 modern 531 #9,034
2006 modern 523 #9,170
2007 modern 525 #9,219
2008 modern 519 #9,372
2009 modern 517 #9,604
2010 modern 535 #9,571
2011 modern 521 #9,660
2012 modern 521 #9,589
2013 modern 527 #9,652
2014 modern 522 #9,778
2015 modern 530 #9,605
2016 modern 528 #9,603

Geography

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Where Weares are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Sedgemoor, Monmouthshire and Fylde. 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 Milborne Port Somerset
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 St James and St Paul Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 008 Mendip
2 Mendip 005 Mendip
3 Sedgemoor 001 Sedgemoor
4 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
5 Fylde 002 Fylde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weare

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weare

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Weare is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Weare is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Weare falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Weare

The surname Weare is an English locational name that originated from the place known as Weare, located in Somerset, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "woer" or "woere," which means a dam or weir used for catching fish. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname can be traced back to the 12th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of much of England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror, the village of Weare is mentioned as "Wara." This early reference to the place name suggests that the surname Weare likely emerged shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Weare was William de Wera, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1196. Another early record of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a John de la Were.

During the Middle Ages, the Weare family held lands and properties in Somerset and other neighboring counties. Notably, Sir John Weare (c. 1425 - 1504) was a prominent figure who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset.

In the 16th century, the surname Weare was also found in various spellings, such as Weir, Ware, and Wear. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Edmund Weare (c. 1550 - 1624), an English clergyman and writer.

In the 17th century, John Weare (1598 - 1647) was an English colonist who settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony and served as a deputy to the General Court of Massachusetts. His descendants played a significant role in the early history of New England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Weare include Sir Caleb Weare (1764 - 1849), a British naval officer and politician, and Meshech Weare (1713 - 1786), an American politician who served as the first governor of New Hampshire after the American Revolution.

Throughout its history, the surname Weare has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, clergy, politicians, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and roles of those bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weare families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weare 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. Somerset leads with 107 Weares recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.08x.

County Total Index
Somerset 107 13.08x
Gloucestershire 85 8.53x
Surrey 53 2.14x
Yorkshire 48 0.95x
Middlesex 47 0.92x
Dorset 31 9.29x
Wiltshire 24 5.34x
Warwickshire 22 1.72x
Lancashire 18 0.30x
Monmouthshire 14 3.81x
Staffordshire 14 0.82x
Herefordshire 10 4.80x
Kent 10 0.58x
Cheshire 9 0.80x
Hampshire 8 0.77x
Sussex 5 0.58x
Derbyshire 4 0.50x
Devon 3 0.28x
Essex 3 0.30x
Durham 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.29x
Leicestershire 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.32x
Shropshire 1 0.23x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wincanton in Somerset leads with 18 Weares recorded in 1881 and an index of 427.55x.

Place Total Index
Wincanton 18 427.55x
Gillingham 14 244.33x
Hullavington 14 1284.40x
Birmingham 13 3.04x
Lambeth 13 2.93x
Leeds 13 4.57x
Newington 13 6.92x
Stonehouse 12 212.01x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 11.72x
Camberwell 11 3.39x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 30.08x
Milborne Port 10 305.81x
Wrington 10 363.64x
Hunslet 9 11.46x
Battersea 8 4.28x
Hammersmith London 8 6.39x
Horsington 8 615.38x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 8 121.40x
Westbury 8 769.23x
Easton In Gordano 7 212.77x
Great Little Marsden 7 25.33x
Idle 7 29.98x
Kington Magna 7 864.20x
Randwick 7 357.14x
Tottenham 7 8.65x
Wednesfield 7 27.72x
Bedminster 6 7.81x
Bristol St Michael 6 70.18x
Bristol St Paul In 6 22.60x
Hackney London 6 2.11x
Kensington London 6 2.12x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 19.76x
Oxton 6 94.64x
Broughton In Salford 5 9.07x
Calverley Cum Farsley 5 34.97x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 5 213.68x
Goodrich 5 384.62x
Islington London 5 1.02x
Laycock 5 245.10x
Mark 5 261.78x
Rugby 5 28.84x
Stowell 5 3125.00x
West Dean 5 30.88x
Willesden 5 10.44x
Aston 4 1.13x
Bramley In Bramley 4 20.75x
Doulting 4 380.95x
East Stoke 4 392.16x
Fontmell Magna 4 314.96x
Litchurch 4 12.49x
Litherland 4 31.72x
Subdeanery 4 61.54x
Usk 4 131.58x
Westbury On Trym 4 11.84x
Bristol Temple 3 45.73x
Castle Cary 3 84.27x
Dixton Hadnock 3 319.15x
Ealing 3 6.61x
Keynsham 3 51.11x
Leonard Stanley 3 229.01x
Paddington London 3 1.61x
Pudsey 3 11.14x
Ramsgate 3 10.60x
Ross 3 36.19x
St Woollos 3 7.32x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 12.82x
Tonbridge 3 4.80x
Weston 3 47.69x
Wilton 3 94.34x
Wookey 3 166.67x
Yeadon 3 26.39x
Birkenhead 2 2.24x
Boldre 2 53.62x
Ewell 2 38.24x
Hampton Bishop 2 434.78x
Herne 2 26.04x
Holdenhurst 2 7.32x
Horfield 2 19.94x
Llangattock Vibon Avel 2 235.29x
Stroud 2 10.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 25
George 17
John 16
James 15
Henry 13
Thomas 13
Joseph 12
Frederick 9
Albert 8
Charles 7
Alfred 6
Edward 5
Frank 5
Edwin 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Peter 3
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Hubert 2
Josiah 2
Tom 2
Bernard 1
Chrles 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Enoch 1
F.W. 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
H.E. 1
Hannah 1
Herbert 1
Isick 1
J.A. 1
Jessie 1
Jno.W. 1
Jonah 1
P.E. 1
Percy 1
Power 1
Roland 1

FAQ

Weare surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weare surname in 1881?

In 1881, 533 people were recorded with the Weare surname. That placed it at #6,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weare surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016. That gives Weare a modern rank of #9,603.

What does the Weare surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from places called "Weare" or "Wear".

What does the Weare map show?

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