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

Byerly, 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 Byerly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Byerly in America

Byerly is the 6059th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Byerly surname appeared 5,661 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Byerly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Byerly 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 Byerly

The surname Byerly originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "biur," which means "peasant" or "farmer." It is believed to have emerged as a descriptive surname in the 12th or 13th century, referring to individuals who were engaged in agricultural pursuits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Byerly can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, where it appears as "Biurli" in 1292. This suggests that the name was already established and in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name Byerly appeared in various forms, such as "Biurlich" and "Biurle," in records from the region of Bavaria. These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

The name Byerly is also associated with several place names in Germany, such as Biurbach and Biurheim, which may have influenced the surname's development or contributed to its spread across different regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Byerly throughout history include:

1. Johann Byerly (1542-1612), a German theologian and author known for his writings on religious controversies during the Reformation period.

2. Christoph Byerly (1615-1681), a German artist and engraver who was renowned for his intricate woodcuts and illustrations.

3. Elisabeth Byerly (1674-1738), a German mystic and author, known for her influential writings on spiritual topics.

4. Wilhelm Byerly (1789-1862), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

5. Sophia Byerly (1848-1925), a German-American educator and suffragist, who played a prominent role in the women's rights movement in the United States.

While the surname Byerly has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origins and early development of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Byerly

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

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 Byerly 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 Byerly 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 Byerly was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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