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

Dier, 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 Dier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dier in America

Dier is the 33121st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dier surname appeared 691 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 Dier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dier 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 Dier

The surname DIER originated in England during the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "deor", meaning a wild animal or beast. In many cases, the name was likely used as an occupational surname for someone who worked as a hunter or deer catcher.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname DIER can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. For instance, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Henry le Deyere from Oxfordshire. In the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire from 1301, there is a reference to a William le Deyere.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Deyere, Deyare, and Diere. These variations were a result of the inconsistent spelling practices of the time, as well as regional dialects. The Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire from 1327 list a John le Deyere, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 for Yorkshire include a Thomas Deyere.

One of the earliest known bearers of the DIER surname was Richard Dier, who was born in Oxfordshire around 1410. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local gentry. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Dier, who lived during the reign of King Henry VIII and served as a member of the Privy Council.

In the 16th century, the surname DIER was also found in various place names, such as Dier's Green in Hertfordshire and Dier's Hill in Oxfordshire. These places likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the DIER surname.

Other notable individuals with the DIER surname include:

1. William Dier (1585-1647), an English Puritan minister and author.
2. Thomas Dier (1650-1717), a British Member of Parliament and landowner from Hertfordshire.
3. John Dier (1705-1787), an English mathematician and astronomer.
4. Samuel Dier (1760-1823), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Mary Dier (1795-1872), an English philanthropist and social reformer who founded several charitable organizations.

Over time, the surname DIER evolved into various spelling variations such as Deer, Deare, and Deere, likely influenced by the similar-sounding word for the animal. However, the original spelling of DIER remained prevalent, particularly in certain regions of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dier

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

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

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

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