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

Dayer, 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 Dayer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dayer in America

Dayer is the 97210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dayer surname appeared 187 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dayer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dayer 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 Dayer

The surname DAYER is believed to have originated from the Old French word "daeir" which means "to mow" or "to cut grass." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a mower or a haymaker.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DAYER can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. It is possible that the name was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. In fact, the Domesday Book of 1086 contains a reference to a landowner named Radulfus le Daeir, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern surname DAYER.

During the Middle Ages, the DAYER surname spread across various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. One notable individual from this period was Sir John Dayer, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Oxfordshire in the late 14th century.

By the 16th century, the DAYER surname had become well-established in England, with various spelling variations such as Dair, Daire, and Dayer. One notable figure from this era was William Dayer, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of Bristol in the mid-16th century.

As the surname spread across different regions, it also evolved into various spellings and variations. In Scotland, for instance, the surname was often spelled as Dair or Daire, while in Ireland, it was sometimes written as O'Dayer or Dyer.

In the 17th century, the DAYER surname continued to be prominent in England, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Sir Edward Dayer, a wealthy landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 1620s.

Another notable individual with the DAYER surname was John Dayer, a renowned botanist and naturalist who lived in the late 17th century. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and is credited with discovering several new species of plants.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the DAYER surname continued to be well-represented across various parts of England, as well as in other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Dayer, a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the late 18th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dayer

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

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

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

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