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Layer Family History

Layer Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the three places in Essex – Layer Breton Layer de la Haye and Layer Marney – all named from a river name Leire the name of a small stream thought to be from a Celtic word meaning ‘mud’. English: nickname or status name from Anglo-Norman French le eyr ‘the heir’. Compare Ayer . English: occupational name for a stone layer Middle English leyer leghere; the job of the layer was to position the stones worked by the masons. German: habitational name for someone from any of various places called Lay .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Sayer, Hayer, Laver, Mayer, Lier, Lauer, Ayer, Lazer, Bayer, Player

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Where is the Layer family from?

You can see how Layer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Layer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Layer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 45 Layer families living in Quebec. This was about 49% of all the recorded Layer's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Layer families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Layer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Layer

What did your Layer ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Layer | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Cultivateur
40%
Labourer
20%
Laborer
14%
Cult
14%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

Laundry
100%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Layer family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Layer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Layer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Layer
Passenger Lists
There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Layer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Layer immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Layer. For the veterans among your Layer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Layer military records

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Layer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Layer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Layer

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Layer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Layer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Layer. For the veterans among your Layer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Layer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Layer family history

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What is the average Layer lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Layer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Layer in 1955 was 54, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Layer

Browse profiles of historical people with the Layer last name