TheNameDBLear
OccupationalMeaning
A person who learns or studies, or possibly derived from a place name.
Etymology
Possibly from Old English 'leornian' meaning 'to learn,' or alternatively from a place name element. The surname may also be connected to the legendary King Lear, though this is a literary rather than etymological origin.
About the Lear Surname
A surname of uncertain but likely occupational or descriptive origin, possibly indicating a scholar or learned person. The name gained literary prominence through Shakespeare's King Lear.
Distribution
Found throughout England and English-speaking countries, with notable concentration in historical records.
Notable Bearers
King Lear (legendary), Timothy Lear