ORIGINS :
1071 years before Jesus Christ, to the time of David, peartree appears already under walls of Jerusalem.
Later Greeks cultivated some four varieties and Romans 178 years before Jesus Christ ate it again withCaton that identified even Six different varieties.
Two centuries after, Pline quoted forty onevarieties of pears to plant in Roman gardens.
The Middle Ages until 1850, the evolution of the culture of the pear was more important than the apple.
At the end of 19 century, in France, more of 900 varieties were listed and today it exists somemore of 3000 varieties through the world.
It is elsewhere in France that are born all the great varieties consumed again today throughthe world (or their relatives).
http://pomologie.com/poire/index.html
I like the search page here LESCRETS FRUITS ET POMOLOGIE LA POIRE THE PEAR