Surname Shear - Meaning and Origin
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Shear: What does the surname Shear mean?
The surname Shear is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is an occupational name for someone who used scissors to cut cloth or a sheep shearer. It is derived from the Old English term "sceran" which means "to cut". This ancient term was used for numerous crafts which involved cutting, hence, a shear could be a tailor, a woodworker, or a harvester as well as someone who shears sheep. In some cases, it could be a nickname for someone with a distinctive hairstyle, which appears to have been shorn. Like many surnames, the meaning has evolved over many centuries and might have different connotations depending on the region where it's used. It's common in English-speaking countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisShear: Where does the name Shear come from?
The last name Shear is commonly found in many areas around the world. Shear is a popular Jewish surname, particularly in the United States and Israel. In the United States, Shear is most common in the Northeastern states—including New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey. There is also a strong presence of the Shear surname in the Midwest, particularly in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Shear is also fairly common in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
In Europe, Shear is predominantly found in the United Kingdom and France. Shear is particularly common in the London region of the UK, as well as in the major French cities like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille. Additionally, many Shear families can be found throughout Eastern Europe, particularly in Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary.
Shear is also found in Australia, particularly in the state of New South Wales. There is a strong presence of Shear families in New Zealand as well, especially in the country's capital city of Wellington.
In recent years, Shear families have immigrated to many other countries around the world, such as South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, South Korea, and China. As a result, the surname Shear can be found in virtually every corner of the globe.
Variations of the surname Shear
The surname Shear can have many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Common variations include Shear, Sheare, Sheer, Sheers, Sheres, Shier, Shires, Sheair, Sheaar, Shearr, Sherr, Shearman, Shearwood, Sheard, Sheward, and Shearwaters. Shear is an English and Jewish surname derived from Old English word scearra, which means "a cut."
In its original form, Shear is most likely a topographical surname meaning "one who lived by a stream, ditch, or cutoff," which could also be used to refer to someone who was a cutler, a person who manufactured scissors, razors, and other cutting tools and implements.
The Irish version of the Shear surname, O'Shear, suggests a Gaelic origin. The initial "O" means "grandson of" or "descendant of". It may have originated from the Gaelic word "Siur", meaning sharply, sharply cut, or irate.
The Jewish variant of Shear, "Shier," may have originated from Scheier which is derived from the Yiddish word "sheer," the Old German "scheren" and the Dutch "schaer" which mean scissors and razor. The surname could be from the occupation of a manufacturer of such implements.
The Shearman and Shearwood variants of the Shear surname suggest an occupational origin, which could mean a worker of stone, wood, or metal. The Shearwood variant could be derived from Scherewood, a Middle English spelling of Shearwood, an old English word meaning a woodcutter or a worker with shears.
Finally, the Shearwaters variant of Shear could be a combination of the word "water" and "shear." It may refer to a person living near a body of water, such as a riverbank, or a person who works with water.
Famous people with the name Shear
- Kenneth Shear: Prominent New York psychoanalysis and an editor of the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
- Brian Shear: Major player in the travel and hospitality industries
- Ruth Shear: Former president of the National Board of the American Federation of Musicians
- Adrienne Shear: Author and business coach
- Reuben Shear: Emmy award-winning writer
- David Shear: U.S. ambassador to Vietnam
- Joshua Shear: Founder and CEO of Shear Enterprises
- Rachael Shear: Former executive vice president of Harpo Productions
- Travis Shear: Professional snowboarder
- Carla Shear: American film director and cameraperson