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Ayer Family History

Ayer Name Meaning

English and Scottish: from Middle English eir eyr ‘heir’ (Anglo-Norman French heyr Old French (h)eir Latin heres). Forms such as Richard le Heyer were frequent in Middle English denoting a man who was well known to be the heir to the main property in a particular locality either one who had already inherited or one with great expectations. English: from the Anglo-Norman French and Middle English personal name Aier (ancient Germanic Agihari). English: variant of Hair .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Ayers, Hayer, Sayer, Layer, Mayer, Dyer, Tyer, Myer, Ager, Payer

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ayer family from?

You can see how Ayer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ayer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ayer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 40 Ayer families living in Maine. This was about 24% of all the recorded Ayer's in USA. Maine had the highest population of Ayer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ayer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Ayer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ayer. 18% of Ayer men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Ayer women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ayer were Farming and Secretary. .

View Census Data for Ayer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    18%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Farming
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Secretary
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ayer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 31,000 census records available for the last name Ayer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ayer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Ayer

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Ayer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ayer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Ayer. For the veterans among your Ayer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Ayer family history

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What is the average Ayer lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Ayer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Ayer in 1950 was 40, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ayer

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