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

Meyer Family History

Meyer Name Meaning

German and Dutch: from Middle High German meier, a status name for a steward, bailiff, or overseer, which later came to be used also to denote a tenant farmer, which is normally the sense in the many compound surnames formed with this term as a second element. Originally it denoted a village headman (ultimately from Latin maior ‘greater’, ‘superior’). Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Meyer (from Hebrew Meir ‘enlightener’, a derivative of Hebrew or ‘light’). Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Meidhir, from meidhir ‘mirth’. Danish: variant spelling of Meier 3.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Meier, Mayer, Heyer, Moyer, Neyer, Meyers, Meer, Seyer, Geyer, Beyer

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 Meyer family from?

You can see how Meyer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Meyer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Meyer families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 473 Meyer families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Meyer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Meyer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Meyer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Meyer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the CA named Meyer. 48% of Meyer men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Meyer women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Meyer were Farming and Student.

View Census data for Meyer | 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
    48%
  • Laborer
    8%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Farming
    4%

Top Female Occupations in 1921

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Student
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Meyer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 741,000 census records available for the last name Meyer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Meyer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Meyer

Passenger Lists

There are 307,000 immigration records available for the last name Meyer. 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 Meyer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 220,000 military records available for the last name Meyer. For the veterans among your Meyer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Meyer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Meyer family history.

Discover More

What is the average Meyer lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Meyer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Meyer in 1941 was 33, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Meyer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Meyer family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial