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Mayer Family History

Mayer Name Meaning

English (Staffordshire): post-medieval form of Mear which is either a topographic name from Middle English mere ‘pond pool’ (Old English mere) or Middle English mere ‘boundary’ (Old English (ge)mǣre) or a habitational name from one or more of the many places with names derived from these terms such as Mere (Cheshire Lincolnshire Wiltshire) Meir in Caverswall (Staffordshire) and Meare (Somerset). English: occupational name for a physician from Old French mire Middle English mire meir meyre originally synonymous with Myer . English: occasionally an occupational name for a mayor from Middle English Old French mair(e) (from Latin maior ‘greater superior’; compare Mayor ). In France the title denoted various minor local officials and the same is true of Scotland (see Mair ). In England however the term was normally restricted to the chief officer of a borough and the surname may have been given not only to a citizen of some standing who had held this office but also as a nickname to a pompous or officious person. German and Dutch (of German origin): variant of Meyer This form of the surname (or its transliteration) is also established in many other parts of Europe most notably in Russia France (Alsace Lorraine and Nord) and Hungary. Compare Myers . Jewish (Ashkenazic): from a variant of the personal name Meyer (see Meyer ). Americanized (or Germanized) form of Polish Czech Slovak Slovenian Croatian Serbian Hungarian and German Majer .7: Dutch: variant archaic or Americanized of Maijer an occupational name for a reaper or mower from Middle Dutch mader Dutch maaier.8: Altered form of French Canadian Maillé (see Maille ).

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


Similar surnames: Meyer, Mayor, Layer, Maser, Sayer, Majer, Mader, Hayer, Maier, Mager

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Where is the Mayer family from?

You can see how Mayer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mayer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mayer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 72 Mayer families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 42% of all the recorded Mayer's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Mayer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mayer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mayer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mayer. 10% of Mayer men worked as a Farmer and 7% of Mayer women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mayer were Clerk and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Mayer | 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
    10%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mayer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 272,000 census records available for the last name Mayer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mayer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 88,000 immigration records available for the last name Mayer. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 115,000 military records available for the last name Mayer. For the veterans among your Mayer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Mayer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Mayer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Mayer in 1940 was 74, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mayer

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