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

Mayer, 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 Mayer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mayer in America

Mayer is the 880th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mayer surname appeared 39,555 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Mayer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mayer 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 Mayer

The surname Mayer originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It derives from the German word "meier," which initially referred to a steward or bailiff responsible for managing a manor or estate. The name's earliest recorded spelling is "Meier," later evolving into variations like "Mayer" and "Meyer."

During the medieval period, the name Mayer was prevalent among the landowning class, as well as those employed in managing agricultural estates. Some of the earliest known bearers of this surname can be traced back to the 13th century in regions like Bavaria and Saxony, where records mention individuals with the name Mayer.

The Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, includes references to individuals with the surname Mayer as early as the 14th century. One notable mention is Johannes Mayer, a landowner and merchant from Leipzig, who was recorded in 1382.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it acquired various spellings based on local dialects and scribal variations. For instance, in some areas, the name was written as "Mayr" or "Maier," reflecting regional linguistic influences.

Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the surname Mayer. One such individual was Johann Tobias Mayer (1723-1762), a renowned German astronomer and mathematician known for his influential work on lunar theory and the calculation of eclipses.

Another notable bearer of the name was Julius Robert Mayer (1814-1878), a German physicist and physician who formulated one of the earliest statements of the law of conservation of energy, a fundamental principle in physics.

In the artistic realm, Hans Mayer (1907-2001), a German literary scholar and critic, made significant contributions to the study of German literature, particularly in the field of drama and theater.

The name Mayer also gained prominence in the United States, where it was brought by German immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. One prominent American with this surname was Louis B. Mayer (1884-1957), a influential film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), one of the major Hollywood studios.

Additionally, John Mayer (born 1977), an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, has achieved widespread recognition and success in the music industry, further adding to the prominence of the Mayer surname in modern times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mayer

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

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

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

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