The Mears surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,988 people carried this name — #3,569 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 29,500 people counted. That is up 3% from 9,706 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Mears surname

As an English surname, variant of Mear, topographic surname for someone who lived by a pond, from Old English mere (“lake, pool”), or near a boundary, from ġemǣre (“boundary, border”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Mears» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the mere’.

An early record he cites: Gregory de la Mere, Wiltshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Mears and Meares.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 525 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

38 families named Mears, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 190 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 14
North Carolina 7
Pennsylvania 5
New York 4
Vermont 3
Maryland 2
Maine 1
New Hampshire 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 253 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Mears in American newspapers,
1913.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Mears
The Sun 1913-07-09
Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Mears
The Sun 1913-08-07
Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Mears
The Sun 1913-07-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 129,625 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Mears in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

11,910 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Mears. The most, 2,362, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,733
Queensland 2,663
Western Australia 1,822
Victoria 1,711
South Australia 505
Tasmania 338
ACT (Canberra) 71
Northern Territory 6

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Mears.

Who carried it

People named Mears,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Otto Mears
    Otto Mears 1840–1931 · businessperson
  • A. Garland Mears
    A. Garland Mears 1842–1920 · writer
  • DeAnn Mears d. 2016 · actor
  • William Mears 1686–1739 · bookseller
  • William Mears 1686–1739 · bookseller
  • John Mears 1695–1767 · Christian minister

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Mears,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States857 records

857 records of the Mears name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 361
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 140
  • Other U.S. records 356
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Nelson O. Mears

    Born 1917 in Oklahoma. Enlisted 1943 at Seattle, Washington; plumber from Pierce County, Washington. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Tahoma National Cemetery, Washington.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mina Mears

    Arrived at New York in 1912 aboard the Kaiser Franz Josef I from Trieste, aged 50; proprietor. From Palermo, Italy; bound for New York. Born in Ostenda, Italy.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Guy Lamar Mears

    Born 1950; from Rockmart, Georgia. U.S. Army, utility helicopter repairer; killed in action 1970 in Phu Yen, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 857 records for Mears in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia591 records

591 records of the Mears name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 282
  • Tasmanian Names Index 108
  • Other Australian records 201
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mabel Isabel Mears

    Died 1937 in Tasmania, aged 65. Will registered in Tasmania in 1937.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Ellen Mears

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Elizabeth, arriving 1836; ticket of leave 1842.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ruth Mears

    Arrived in Victoria in 1860 aboard the Dawn of Hope, aged 28; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 591 records for Mears in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand33 records

33 records of the Mears name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 23
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry Wilfred Mears

    Died 1958, aged 75; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Abraham Mears

    Buried in 1901 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 57.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edna Jean Mears

    Born 1905, died 1986; ashes interred at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 33 records for Mears in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom32 records

32 records of the Mears name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 22
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Mears

    Buried in 1790 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 19.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Francis D'Oyley Mears

    Will proved in 1928.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. W. Mears

    Royal Horse Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Mears in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada24 records

24 records of the Mears name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 10
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 5
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Kay Mears

    Buried in 1987 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Walter Ernest Mears

    Buried in 1962 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Sara Mears

    Buried in 1953 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.

Showing 3 of 24 records for Mears in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Mears name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Robert Mears

    Died 1877 in Velsen, aged 33.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Everaert Mears

    Married in 1630 in Bergen op Zoom; born in England.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dominic Joseph Patrick Mears

    Married in 1945 in Oss.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Mears in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France3 records

3 records of the Mears name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Susan Mears

    Born 1947 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Graeme Paul Mears

    Born 1967 in Canada; died 1999 in Pierre-Bénite (Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Simonne Alberte Mears

    Born 1907 in Paris; died 1989 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Mears.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Mears is.
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