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

Mayers, 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 Mayers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mayers in America

Mayers is the 5708th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mayers surname appeared 6,076 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Mayers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mayers 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 Mayers

The surname Mayers has its origins in the German language. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word "meier," which referred to a steward or a farm manager. This name likely originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mayers can be traced back to the 13th century in the Codex Diplomaticus Austriaco-Frisingensis, a collection of historical documents from the region of present-day Austria. This suggests that the name was already in use during the medieval period.

The name Mayers has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For example, there is a village called Meyers in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

One notable figure with the surname Mayers was Johann Mayers (1572-1654), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. He is best known for his work on the calculation of planetary orbits and his involvement in the development of the Rudolphine Tables, which were used for astronomical calculations.

Another individual of historical significance bearing the name Mayers was John Mayers (1597-1662), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was known for his work on ancient Greek texts and his involvement in the translation of the King James Bible.

In the 18th century, Johann Mayers (1719-1789) was a renowned German painter and engraver who specialized in portraiture and religious subjects. His works can be found in various museums and collections throughout Europe.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Henry Mayers Hyndman (1842-1921), a British writer, philosopher, and political activist. He was a prominent figure in the early socialist movement and a co-founder of the Social Democratic Federation, one of the earliest socialist organizations in Britain.

Finally, it is worth mentioning Edward Mayers (1858-1922), an American sinologist and educator who made significant contributions to the study of Chinese language and culture. He served as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and played a crucial role in establishing Chinese studies as an academic discipline in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mayers

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

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

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

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