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

Royer, 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 Royer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Royer in America

Royer is the 3203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Royer surname appeared 11,279 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Royer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Royer 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 Royer

The surname ROYER has its origins in France, where it first appeared in the late medieval period, around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "royer," meaning "road maker" or "paver," suggesting that the name was initially given to those who worked in the construction or maintenance of roads.

ROYER is a variant spelling of the French surname ROUYER, which has a similar etymology and meaning. The name is thought to have originated in the Île-de-France region, particularly around Paris and its surroundings, where many road construction and maintenance activities took place during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ROYER can be found in the Livre des métiers d'Étienne Boileau, a 13th-century document that listed the various trades and professions in Paris. This document mentions several individuals with the surname ROYER or ROUYER, indicating their occupation as road makers or pavers.

In the 14th century, the surname ROYER appeared in numerous records and documents throughout northern France, including tax rolls, census records, and parish registers. For example, Jean ROYER was mentioned in a census record from the town of Amiens in 1347.

During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the surname ROYER. One of the most famous was Joseph Nicolas ROYER (1703-1755), a French painter and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural scenes. Another prominent figure was Jean Baptiste René ROYER (1739-1805), a French writer and philosopher who wrote extensively on education and social reform.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the ROYER surname spread across France and into neighboring regions, such as Switzerland and Belgium. This period saw the rise of several ROYER families who left their mark in various fields, including Jean ROYER (1624-1699), a Swiss painter and engraver known for his religious works, and Nicolas ROYER (1675-1755), a French engineer and military officer who played a significant role in the development of fortifications in Canada.

Other notable individuals with the surname ROYER include Alphonse ROYER (1803-1875), a French writer and playwright who translated several works of Shakespeare into French, and Maurice ROYER (1870-1938), a French architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings and urban developments in Paris and other cities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Royer

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

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

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

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