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Thayer Family History

Thayer Surname Meaning

English (Gloucestershire and Somerset): from Middle English the eir ‘the heir’ with fused definite article. See Ayer.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Thayer family from?

You can see how Thayer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thayer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thayer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 68 Thayer families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Thayer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Thayer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thayer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Thayer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Farmer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Thayer. 42% of Thayer men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Thayer women worked as a Farmer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thayer were Salesman and Income.

View Census Data for Thayer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    42%
  • Carpenter
    15%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Salesman
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    50%
  • Income
    50%

What Thayer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 125,000 census records available for the last name Thayer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thayer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Thayer

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Thayer. 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 Thayer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 31,000 military records available for the last name Thayer. For the veterans among your Thayer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thayer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thayer family history

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What is the average Thayer lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Thayer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Thayer in 1944 was 52, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thayer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thayer ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Thayer family tree

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