Shear
A surname that can come from Old English words for “shear” or “bright,” and in some cases from a place-name.
The #9,669 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,998 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually explained in more than one way. In some cases it may be occupational, connected with Old English words meaning “to shear” or “to cut,” the root behind words like shear and shearer. In other cases it may be locational or nickname-based, related to Old English scr or scr, meaning “bright, clear,” which also appears in old personal and place names.
History
The historical evidence suggests that forms like Shear and Shearer were both in use in medieval England, especially in records where surnames were still fluid. Some bearers likely took the name from a trade, while others may have inherited it from a personal name or place-name element. The short form Shear is less common than related surnames such as Shearer or Sher.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Old English root behind some Shear-related surnames also turns up in old names and place-names with the sense of “bright” or “clear.”
From the historical record
“Separated Land [f. O.E. ^c^ra« (pret. scear), to cut, shear + land] SHARMAN = Shepman, Shearman, q.v. SHARNBROOK (Eng.) Bel.^ to Sharnbroolt”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)