| ![Show Contents]() Fears History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Fears family has descended through the lines of the ancient Normans that came to England following their Conquest of England in 1066. The Fears name reveals that an early member was a companion, friend. It derives from the Middle English word "feare," which means "the proud," "the fierce" or "the bold." 1 Early Origins of the Fears familyThe surname Fears was first found in Middlesex where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. They were originally descended from Vere from Manche in the arrondisement of Coutances in Normandy, and Aubrey de Vere was an undertenant in Kensington, Middlesex, and two places in Northampton. 2 By the 13th century the family was scattered throughout ancient Britain. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 listed Walter Fere in Oxfordshire and a few years later, Roger le Feer was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 in Essex. 3 In Somerset, some of the first records were found in Kirby's Quest, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) William le Fer and Robert le Fere were both listed at that time holding lands there. 4 Early History of the Fears familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fears research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fears History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fears Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Fears family name include Fear, Fere and others. Early Notables of the Fears familyMore information is included under the topic Early Fears Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fears RankingIn the United States, the name Fears is the 5,032nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5 Migration of the Fears family to IrelandSome of the Fears family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Fears migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Fears family to immigrate North America:
Fears Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Alexander Fears, aged 24, who arrived in Missouri in 1849 6
- Edward Fears, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1879 6
Fears Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Alice Fears, aged 45, who settled in America, in 1912
- Albert Fears, aged 43, who immigrated to the United States, in 1915
- Charles Fears, aged 51, who immigrated to the United States, in 1917
| Fears migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Fears Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Thomas Fears, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
| Contemporary Notables of the name Fears (post 1700) | + |
- Gregory Fears, American actor, known for The 5th Wave (2016), Fast & Furious 7 (2015) and Keeping Up with the Joneses
- Tom Fears (1923-2000), American NFL football wide receiver, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Shamari Fears –DeVoe (b. 1980), American R&B singer
- Peggy Fears (1903-1994), American Broadway musical comedy actress during the 1920s and 1930s
- J. Rufus Fears, American historian, scholar, teacher and author
- Ivan Fears (b. 1954), American football coach for the New England Patriots
- William E. Fears, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Virginia State Senate 3rd District, 1974-79 7
- Evelyn Fears, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Virginia, 1972 7
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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