Find out how popular the last name Ayers is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ayers.

Ayers, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ayers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ayers in America

Ayers is the 875th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ayers surname appeared 39,623 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Ayers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ayers to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ayers

The surname Ayers has its origins in England, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "eiyr," which means "marsh" or "meadow." This suggests that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a marshy area or a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ayers can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Ayer," "Ayre," and "Eyr."

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Ayers family was well-established in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire. The name was often associated with specific place names, such as Ayr in Scotland and Ayre in Yorkshire.

One notable individual bearing the surname Ayers was Sir John Ayers (1510-1594), who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Philip Ayers (1638-1712), an English Quaker who emigrated to Pennsylvania and played a significant role in the early development of the colony.

In the 18th century, the Ayers family gained prominence in the field of literature. Thomas Ayers (1725-1798) was an English poet and playwright, while his son, Robert Ayers (1760-1823), was a renowned lawyer and essayist.

The name Ayers also has a strong connection to the military. Major General Romeyn B. Ayers (1825-1888) was a Union Army officer who served with distinction during the American Civil War, while Lieutenant General James E. Ayers (1916-2003) was a highly decorated World War II veteran and commander of the U.S. Army's V Corps.

Other notable individuals with the surname Ayers include Sir John Ayers (1861-1948), a British architect and designer who played a significant role in the Arts and Crafts movement, and Tom Ayers (1945-2009), an American guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with the band The Kingsmen.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ayers

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ayers.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ayers was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ayers has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ayers was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ayers, please contact us.

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