Surname Bears - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Bears: What does the surname Bears mean?
The surname Bears is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is generally believed to be derived from the Old English "bere", meaning barley, and "ær", denoting a farmer or grower. Thus, the surname Bears could mean 'barley farmer' or someone who dealt with barley, either as a grower or possibly as a miller or brewer. The surname could also have originated from the medieval personal name "Bear" which is derived from Old English "bero" or Old Norse "bjorn", both meaning bear. Therefore, it could have been a nickname for someone who resembled a bear in some way. Over the years, the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation. As with many surnames, it is also possible that different families with the name Bears acquired it for different reasons, hence, the variability in meanings.
Order DNA origin analysisBears: Where does the name Bears come from?
The surname Bears is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a variant of the more common name "Bair" or "Barr". It primarily originated from Scotland and Northern England. The name originally signified a person who lived by a gate or barrier of some sort, stemming from the Old English words "barre" or "bere", which mean 'bar' or 'gate'. Over the years, the name has taken on different forms and spellings, including Bears.
Today, the surname Bears is not particularly common in any specific location. However, based on surname distributions, it can still be found in English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Additionally, due to historic migration patterns and the global dispersion of the English-speaking population, it's likely that the surname can also be found in various other countries worldwide.
It's important to note that the prevalence of the Bears surname is relatively scarce, hence finding extensive information and its prevalence in modern times can prove to be challenging.
Variations of the surname Bears
The surname Bears is of English origin and is relatively rare, making it a little challenging to find several variants. However, the surname Bear is quite common and has a range of variants including Bare, Baer, Bayer, Beyer, Bahr, Barr, Beare and Behr. These variants result from different anglicizations or regional pronunciations of the original surname.
As for the surname Bears, variations may include Beares or Beairs. It's possible that the surname Beers may also be a variant, along with the slightly different sounding Baars, Barese, and Beares.
The origin of the surname Bears could be occupational, derived from the Middle English term "bere", a term for barley, indicating a grower or seller of barley. Another possibility could be descriptive, as the term "bear" could signify someone possessing the strength or other characteristics of a bear.
However, it’s crucial to remember that surnames evolved over centuries and were often based on a person's occupation, location, or personal characteristics. Knowing the exact origin and complete list of variants may necessitate detailed genealogical research.
Famous people with the name Bears
- Bryan Bearss: former NFL quarterback for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Paul Bearss: American amateur boxer and Olympic gold medalist
- Wade Bearss: World War II veteran and former commander of the United States Coast Guard
- Michael Bearss: former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Tyus Bearss: professional ice hockey player
- Cissy Bearss: Chicago politician and former Alderman
- Robert Bearss: history professor at Georgetown University
- Jessie Bearss: University of Michigan anthropologist
- Matt Bearss: musician, songwriter, and producer
- Tiki Bearss: entrepreneur and executive producer of the film Black Panther