History of your Surname
Get access to Metayer family records.Start a free trial

Metayer Family History

Metayer Name Meaning

French (Métayer): status name for a tenant farmer who held land on condition of sharing its produce equally with the landlord Old French meiteier (an agent derivative of meitié ‘half’ Late Latin medietas from medius ‘middle’). This surname is also found in Haiti.

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


Similar surnames: Meyer, Mayer, Hayer, Mestayer, Metteer, Metzner, Meter, Metzger

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Metayer family from?

You can see how Metayer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Metayer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Metayer families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 54 Metayer families living in Quebec. This was about 98% of all the recorded Metayer's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Metayer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Metayer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Metayer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cordonnier and Contremaitre were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Metayer. 28% of Metayer men worked as a Cordonnier and 34% of Metayer women worked as a Contremaitre. Some less common occupations for Americans named Metayer were Cultivateur and Vendeur. .

View Census Data for Metayer | 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

  • Cordonnier
    28%
  • Cordonnier
    19%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Cultivateur
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Contremaitre
    34%
  • Modiste
    34%
  • Vendeur
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Metayer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Metayer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Metayer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Metayer

Passenger Lists

There are 527 immigration records available for the last name Metayer. 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 Metayer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 270 military records available for the last name Metayer. For the veterans among your Metayer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Metayer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Metayer family history

Discover More

What is the average Metayer lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Metayer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Metayer in 1959 was 63, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Metayer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Metayer family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Metayer last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial