Ursinae is a subfamily of Ursidae (bears) named by Swainson (1835).

It was assigned to Ursidae by Bjork (1970), Hunt (1998), and Jin et al.

[1][2][3] The genera Melursus and Helarctos are sometimes also included in Ursus.

The Asiatic black bear and the polar bear used to be placed in their own genera, Selenarctos and Thalarctos; these are now placed at subgenus rank.

A number of hybrids have been bred between American black, brown, and polar bears (see Ursid hybrids).