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

Hayer, 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 Hayer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hayer in America

Hayer is the 34707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hayer surname appeared 651 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 Hayer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hayer 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 Hayer

The surname HAYER originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "heier," which means "haymaker" or "hayer," referring to someone who made or harvested hay.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Heier" or "Heyer" before evolving into its current form. Some of the earliest known records of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from the German state of Saxony.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname HAYER was Johannes Heyer, a farmer who lived in the village of Großenhain, near Dresden, in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Heinrich Hayer, a prominent merchant from Nuremberg, who lived in the early 15th century.

The name HAYER also appeared in the Berne Geschlechterbuch, a Swiss genealogical register from the 16th century, indicating that the name had spread to other parts of Central Europe by that time.

In the 17th century, a family named HAYER settled in the Palatinate region of Germany, and some members of this family later emigrated to America, establishing themselves in Pennsylvania and other parts of the colonies.

One of the earliest recorded HAYERS in America was Johann Michael Hayer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743. Another notable figure was Gottfried HAYER (1752-1828), a German-American printer and publisher who established the first German-language newspaper in Pennsylvania.

Throughout history, the HAYER surname has been associated with various occupations, including farmers, merchants, and artisans. Some famous individuals with this surname include:

1. Johann Baptist HAYER (1729-1812), a German painter and engraver known for his religious works.
2. Friedrich August HAYER (1797-1870), a German mathematician and professor at the University of Berlin.
3. Katharina HAYER (1798-1864), an Austrian writer and feminist who advocated for women's rights.
4. Ernst HAYER (1894-1969), an Austrian-American painter and sculptor known for his abstract works.
5. Fritz HAYER (1900-1975), a German actor and film director who appeared in numerous movies during the 1930s and 1940s.

While the surname HAYER has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and various European countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hayer

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

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

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

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