2000
#2,832
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,611
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.30
Uncommon Last name
Cyr
A French occupational surname referring to one who makes or sells wax candles or tapers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,989 Americans carry the last name Cyr. That puts it at #3,098 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 26,388 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cyr surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 26,388
Census rank
#3,098
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,327 bearers of the surname Cyr in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3098th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cyr, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cyr
The surname Cyr originates from France, specifically the region of Brittany, and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin name "Cyrillus," which itself comes from the Greek name "Kyrillos," meaning "lordly" or "masterful."
In medieval Brittany, the name Cyr was often associated with individuals who held positions of authority or influence within the local communities. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various parish records and land registries from the 13th and 14th centuries.
One notable early reference to the name Cyr can be found in the Cartulaire de Lanmeur, a cartulary (a medieval manuscript containing transcribed charters and other legal documents) from the Abbey of Lanmeur in Brittany, dated around 1300. This cartulary mentions a certain "Yvon Cyr," who was a landowner in the region.
Another significant historical figure bearing the surname Cyr was Jean Cyr, a prominent merchant and shipowner from the town of Saint-Malo in Brittany, who lived during the late 16th century. Jean Cyr was known for his successful trading ventures with the Americas and the Caribbean, contributing to the economic prosperity of Saint-Malo during that era.
In the 17th century, the name Cyr was also found in various regions of France, particularly in the areas surrounding Paris. One notable individual was Nicolas Cyr (1595-1663), a French engraver and publisher who produced numerous works, including maps and illustrations for books.
Across the Atlantic, the name Cyr eventually made its way to the French colonies in North America, particularly in what is now the province of Quebec, Canada. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in this region was Jacques Cyr (1634-1708), a French colonist who settled in Quebec in the mid-17th century and became one of the progenitors of the Cyr family in Canada.
Another notable Canadian figure with the surname Cyr was Joseph-Édouard Cyr (1869-1951), a prominent Quebec lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and later as a senator.
Throughout its history, the surname Cyr has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, including François Cyr (1857-1938), a French-Canadian poet and journalist; Hubert Cyr (1928-2018), a Canadian actor and comedian; and Émile Cyr (1899-1985), a French-Canadian businessman and philanthropist known for his contributions to the city of Montreal.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cyr
Among Census respondents with the surname Cyr, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Cyr bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cyr surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 10,503
- Two or more races3.1% · 347
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 313
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 80
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 48
- Black or African American0.3% · 36
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cyr
Cyr appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,029
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,829
+218 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 4.01
Rank movement Down 197 places
2020
#3,098
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,327
-502 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 3.79
Rank movement Down 69 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,832 | 11,611 | 4.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,029 | 11,829 | 4.01 | +218 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 197 places |
| 2020 | #3,098 | 11,327 | 3.79 | -502 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 69 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cyr surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,029 | #3,098 | -2.3% |
| Count | 11,829 | 11,327 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 4.01 | 3.79 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cyr bearers went from 11,829 to 11,327 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 69 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,029 to #3,098.
FAQ
Cyr surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cyr?
Name Census estimates that about 12,989 living Americans carry the surname Cyr. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 26,388 residents.
How common is Cyr?
Cyr ranks #3,098 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.79 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,327 people with the surname Cyr. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,989), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.79 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Cyr.
Has Cyr become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cyr went from 11,829 recorded bearers to 11,327. That is a decrease of 502 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,029 to #3,098.
What does the Census say about the background of Cyr?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cyr, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cyr in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (10,503 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cyr appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Two or More Races (3.1%), Hispanic (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cyr (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cyr mean?
A French occupational surname referring to one who makes or sells wax candles or tapers. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cyr (3.79 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Cyr?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.