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

Thayer, 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 Thayer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thayer in America

Thayer is the 2186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thayer surname appeared 16,625 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Thayer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thayer 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 Thayer

The surname Thayer is believed to have originated in England, derived from the Old English word "thegn," meaning a servant or attendant. This name likely emerged in the early medieval period, referring to individuals who held positions of service or attended to those of higher social status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thayer can be found in the renowned Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. This historical document mentions a landowner named Godric Thayer in Berkshire, England.

As time passed, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Thair, Thayre, and Thaier, reflecting the evolving nature of language and regional dialects. Some of these variations may have been influenced by places where families bearing this surname resided, such as the village of Thayer in Oxfordshire.

Historically, the Thayer surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was John Thayer, who lived in the 16th century and served as the Headmaster of Winchester College, a prestigious educational institution in Hampshire, England.

Another prominent bearer of the Thayer name was Nathaniel Thayer (1769-1840), an American businessman and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He made significant contributions to Harvard University and the Boston Athenæum, a renowned library and cultural institution.

In the literary realm, James Bradley Thayer (1831-1902), a renowned legal scholar and professor at Harvard Law School, left a lasting impact on American jurisprudence with his influential works on constitutional law and the role of the judiciary.

The Thayer surname also has connections to the military. One notable figure was Sylvanus Thayer (1785-1872), an American military officer and educator who served as the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, playing a crucial role in shaping the academy's educational curriculum.

Another individual of historical significance was John Milton Thayer (1820-1890), a Union Army general during the American Civil War, who later served as a United States Senator from Nebraska and played a pivotal role in the state's development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thayer

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

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

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

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