History of your Surname
Get access to Dreyer family records.Start a free trial

Dreyer Family History

Dreyer Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname derived from German drei ‘three’ Middle High German drī(e) with the addition of the suffix -er. This was the name of a medieval coin worth three hellers (see Heller ) and it is possible that the German surname may have been derived from this word. More probably the nickname is derived from some other connection with the number three too anecdotal to be even guessed at now. North German and Scandinavian: occupational name for a turner of wood or bone from an agent derivative of Middle Low German dreien dregen ‘to turn’. See also Dressler . Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from Yiddish dreyer ‘turner’ or a nickname from a homonym meaning ‘swindler cheat’. English: variant of Dryer .

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


Similar surnames: Dreher, Drayer, Dryer, Dreier, Kreyer, Heyer, Preyer, Troyer, Geyer

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Dreyer family from?

You can see how Dreyer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dreyer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dreyer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Dreyer family living in Maryland. This was about 33% of all the recorded Dreyer's in USA. Maryland and 2 other states had the highest population of Dreyer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dreyer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Dreyer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dreyer. 19% of Dreyer men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Dreyer women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dreyer were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Dreyer | 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
    19%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dreyer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Dreyer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dreyer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dreyer

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Dreyer. 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 Dreyer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Dreyer. For the veterans among your Dreyer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dreyer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dreyer family history

Discover More

What is the average Dreyer lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Dreyer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Dreyer in 1948 was 37, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dreyer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dreyer family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Dreyer last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial