The Sears surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 32,206 people carried this name — #1,085 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,160 people counted. That is up 3% from 31,387 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sears surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Sayer’.

An early record he cites: Walter fil. Sere, Nottinghamshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Sear, Sears, Searson, Seare, Seares and Serson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 675 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Sears was found among the farmers of Hertfordshire: 10 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Hertfordshire 10

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

162 families named Sears, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 918 people lived in those households, 5.7 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 63
New York 29
Connecticut 24
North Carolina 14
Virginia 12
Vermont 7
Pennsylvania 4
Maine 3
Rhode Island 3
Maryland 3

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. 261 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sears in American newspapers,
1902–1921.

Newspaper page from The Bozeman Courier carrying the name Sears
The Bozeman Courier 1921-01-12
Newspaper page from Reporter And Farmer carrying the name Sears
Reporter And Farmer 1902-09-18
Newspaper page from Reporter And Farmer carrying the name Sears
Reporter And Farmer 1902-09-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,014 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sears in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

8,499 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sears. The most, 1,521, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Western Australia 2,198
Victoria 2,048
New South Wales 1,947
South Australia 1,160
Queensland 967
Tasmania 113
ACT (Canberra) 34
Northern Territory 4

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

Who carried it

People named Sears,
with a public archive behind them.

  • David Sears
    David Sears 1787–1871 · businessperson
  • Barnas Sears
    Barnas Sears 1802–1880 · theologian
  • Edmund Sears
    Edmund Sears 1810–1876 · writer
  • James R. Sears d. 1989 · botanist
  • Richard Sears 1595–1676
  • Tamsen Freeman 1691–1761

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 Sears,
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 States2,732 records

2,732 records of the Sears name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,188
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 491
  • Other U.S. records 1,053
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Warren Sears

    Born 1932; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1952 in North Korea. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Donald H. Sears

    Born 1902 in Canada. Enlisted 1942 at Buffalo, New York; painter from Erie County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1980, buried at Bath National Cemetery, New York.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the State of Nebraska from Glasgow and Moville, aged 44; carver. From London, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,732 records for Sears in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · 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: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada556 records

556 records of the Sears name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 508
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 14
  • Other Canadian records 34
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Nancy Sears

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Esther, bound for Port Roseway, aged 43.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Rhoda Sears

    Buried in 1958 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 76.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Earl Kitchener Sears

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 556 records for Sears in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Australia209 records

209 records of the Sears name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 113
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 32
  • Other Australian records 64
  1. 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 James Sears

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Marquis of Hastings, arriving 1827; ticket of leave 1831. Native of Northampton.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Port Adelaide, aged 21; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Arthur Sears

    Retired of Eventide Hospital, Victoria; died 1974.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 209 records for Sears in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (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: 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand32 records

32 records of the Sears name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 28
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frank Sears

    Died 1950, aged 68; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ethel Sears

    Died 1996, aged 83; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

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

    Born 1934, died 2001; ashes interred at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Sears in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). 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 Kingdom21 records

21 records of the Sears name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. T. Sears

    Sapper, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. J. Sears

    Bedfordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Sears

    Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 21 records for Sears 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Sears 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 Mark Peter John Sears

    Born 1964 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Vera Irene Rose Sears

    Born 1921 in Islington (Londres) (Angleterre); died 1999 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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Sears name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Sears

    Married in 1688 in Roosendaal.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Robbert Sears

    Married in 1708 in Vlissingen.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

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

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sears.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sears is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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