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Kear Family History

Kear Surname Meaning

English (Gloucestershire): occupational name for a locksmith from Middle English keyer kayer ‘key-maker locksmith’.

(Old English cǣgere a derivative of cǣg ‘key’).

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 Kear family from?

You can see how Kear families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kear family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kear families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 272 Kear families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 56% of all the recorded Kear's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Kear families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kear 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 Kear ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Coal Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kear. 15% of Kear men worked as a Coal Hewer and 66% of Kear women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kear were Builders Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Kear | 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

  • Coal Hewer
    15%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Sheet Metal Worker
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Kear family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Kear. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kear census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kear

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Kear. 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 Kear immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Kear. For the veterans among your Kear ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kear military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kear family history

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What is the average Kear lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Kear life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Kear in 1950 was 18, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kear

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kear 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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