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Shear Family History

Shear Surname Meaning

English: nickname for a beautiful or radiant person or one with fair hair from Middle English scher schir ‘bright fair’ (Old English scǣre scīr).

In addition, the name may be a habitational name from Shere (Surrey) named from the word above.

Possibly an altered form of German Schier.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shear family from?

You can see how Shear families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shear family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shear families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 73 Shear families living in London. This was about 39% of all the recorded Shear's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Shear families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shear surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Shear ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Ladies Tailor and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Shear. 20% of Shear men worked as a Ladies Tailor and 75% of Shear women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shear were Bricklayer and Housework.

View Census Data for Shear | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Ladies Tailor
    20%
  • Sawmill Worker
    14%
  • Dealer
    14%
  • Bricklayer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housework
    6%

What Shear family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Shear. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shear census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shear

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Shear. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shear immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Shear. For the veterans among your Shear ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shear military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shear family history

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What is the average Shear lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Shear life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Shear in 1950 was 48, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shear

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shear ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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