2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shyer
A surname of possible German origin, potentially derived from the occupation of shoemaker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 148 Americans carry the last name Shyer. That puts it at #135,344 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,315,908 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shyer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
148
1 in 2,315,908
Census rank
#135,344
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
129
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 129 bearers of the surname Shyer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 135344th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shyer
The surname SHYER is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, with roots tracing back to the Old English word "scir," meaning "bright" or "shining." This name likely referred to an individual with a bright complexion or a sunny disposition.
In medieval times, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. The name SHYER may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a radiant appearance or a cheerful demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHYER can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a person named Willelmus le Shyere is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially pronounced with a more elongated vowel sound.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname SHYER appeared in various records across England, with spellings such as Shyre, Shire, and Sheere. Some notable individuals from this period bearing the name include John Shyre, a landowner in Hertfordshire mentioned in the Feet of Fines records from 1302, and William Schyrer, a merchant from Bristol recorded in the Patent Rolls of 1349.
The SHYER surname may also have derived from certain place names, such as Shire Lane in Middlesex or Shire Green in Surrey, although direct connections to these locations are not well documented.
In the 16th century, the name SHYER gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Shyre (1492-1572), a renowned English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed Recorder of Oxford. His son, Sir Richard Shyre (1536-1628), continued the family's legacy as a prominent judge and legal scholar.
Another notable figure bearing the SHYER surname was Sir Robert Shyre (1587-1654), a military commander who fought in the English Civil War and was knighted by King Charles I for his services.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the SHYER name spread across various parts of England, with members of the family establishing themselves in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire.
Throughout its history, the SHYER surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, lawyers, military personnel, and scholars, contributing to the rich tapestry of English heritage and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shyer
Among Census respondents with the surname Shyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Shyer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shyer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.7% · 126
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 2
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shyer
Shyer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+4 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,191 places
2020
#135,344
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
+9 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,884 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 5,191 places |
| 2020 | #135,344 | 129 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+7.5%) | Up 3,884 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shyer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #135,344 | 2.8% |
| Count | 120 | 129 | 7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 7.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shyer bearers went from 120 to 129 (+7.5% change). The surname moved up 3,884 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #135,344.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shyer
FAQ
Shyer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shyer?
Name Census estimates that about 148 living Americans carry the surname Shyer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,315,908 residents.
How common is Shyer?
Shyer ranks #135,344 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 129 people with the surname Shyer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (148), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shyer.
Has Shyer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shyer went from 120 recorded bearers to 129. That is an increase of 9 (+7.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #139,228 to #135,344.
What does the Census say about the background of Shyer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shyer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.7% (126 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shyer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%), Two or More Races (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shyer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shyer mean?
A surname of possible German origin, potentially derived from the occupation of shoemaker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shyer (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Shyer?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Shyer on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.