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

Moyers, 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 Moyers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moyers in America

Moyers is the 6961st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moyers surname appeared 4,818 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 Moyers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moyers 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 Moyers

The surname MOYERS is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "moyere," which referred to a person who operated a mill, particularly a water mill used for grinding grain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MOYERS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1230, where a person named Robert le Moyere was mentioned. These rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the reign of King Henry III.

During the 13th century, the surname MOYERS also appeared in various forms, such as Moyer, Mayer, and Moir, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. It is possible that some of these variations stem from the French word "meunier," which also meant "miller."

In the 14th century, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 recorded a John le Moyer, further solidifying the presence of this surname in medieval England. These rolls were tax records used to assess and collect subsidies or levies from the population.

One notable individual with the surname MOYERS was William Moyers, a 16th-century English poet and clergyman born around 1535 in Wiltshire. He is known for his poetic works, including a translation of the biblical Book of Psalms into English verse.

Another historical figure was John Moyers, a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1754 in England, he fought alongside the British forces against the American colonists before eventually settling in Canada after the war.

In the 19th century, John Moyers (1778-1853) was a prominent American businessman and real estate developer from Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the early development of the city of Reading and was instrumental in establishing several businesses and industries in the area.

The name MOYERS also gained recognition through Bill Moyers, an American journalist and political commentator born in 1934 in Oklahoma. He is renowned for his work as a news analyst, author, and host of various television programs, including those on public broadcasting networks.

While the surname MOYERS has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was associated with the occupation of operating mills, primarily water mills used for grinding grain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moyers

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

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

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

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