Ayer Surname

38,399th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 13,698 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Switzerland

Ayer Surname Definition:

Offic. or nick, 'the heir'; Middle English heyre, eyr, or eyre; Old French heir, the h, of course, being silent.

Henry le Eyer, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Adam le Eyr, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

William le Eyre, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Read More About This Surname

Ayer Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States4,5811:79,1229,026
Turkey2,1071:36,9353,882
Ghana1,6631:16,2482,082
Uganda9261:42,1595,323
Switzerland8501:9,6621,575
Indonesia7411:178,47417,219
India4611:1,663,91660,584
Canada3331:110,64711,850
Algeria3061:126,24717,449
Nigeria2841:623,74229,581
Iraq2461:142,3643,763
South Africa1731:313,16629,785
England1511:368,99426,171
France1511:439,88663,493
Brazil1161:1,845,46859,486
Australia861:313,90427,145
Philippines631:1,606,956108,100
Mexico631:1,970,25718,660
Malaysia521:567,19727,732
Iran491:1,566,99061,347
Nepal441:647,2944,928
Kuwait391:97,45410,676
United Arab Emirates371:247,62917,078
Qatar221:107,18211,536
Singapore131:423,66918,211
Germany111:7,318,678235,042
Italy111:5,559,699110,230
Pakistan111:16,240,35364,496
Jamaica101:286,9957,581
Spain101:4,675,20478,608
Russia91:16,013,673414,297
United States Virgin Islands81:13,7971,930
Yemen71:3,775,04217,439
Thailand61:11,773,058553,295
Austria51:1,703,08789,702
Ethiopia41:24,386,56619,165
Sri Lanka41:5,202,14012,146
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Northern Cyprus31:106,3378,831
Peru31:10,594,70845,902
Colombia31:15,924,69128,711
Norway21:2,571,14395,402
Belgium21:5,748,322130,559
Turks and Caicos Islands21:17,164627
Netherlands21:8,443,588136,641
Afghanistan11:32,153,18360,828
Tunisia11:610,62630,336
Belarus11:9,501,059159,228
Israel11:8,557,634182,558
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Venezuela11:30,204,07785,459
Wales11:3,094,53244,023
Argentina11:42,743,414282,706
French Polynesia11:280,8057,211
Togo11:7,247,76812,049
Taiwan11:23,444,74693,622
Chile11:17,616,47493,597
Kazakhstan11:17,682,496204,010
China11:1,367,321,56651,149
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Saint Lucia11:178,7813,800
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Macau11:601,6301,582
Puerto Rico11:3,550,1399,109
Paraguay11:7,236,74616,511
Finland11:5,496,70284,025
New Zealand11:4,528,32355,372
Ireland11:4,708,93929,543
Morocco11:34,476,099111,471
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland41:1,107,46726,093
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1041:234,37917,485
Scotland211:178,2486,976
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,6631:30,1983,656

The alternate forms: Äyer (124) are calculated separately.

Ayer (772) may also be a first name.

Ayer Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Offic. or nick, 'the heir'; Middle English heyre, eyr, or eyre; Old French heir, the h, of course, being silent.

Henry le Eyer, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Adam le Eyr, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

William le Eyre, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

This surname is derived from an official title. or nick, 'the heir.' It is curious to note that while Ayre is the almost universal English form (saving Eyre), Ayer is equally universal in the United States. For early and other instances, v. Ayres and Eyre.

Roger le Havre, or Eyre, or Ayer, Norfolk, 1264: History of Norfolk.

1583. Humphrey Mercer and Katherine Ayer: Marriage Lic. (London).

1757. Married — Francis Lee and Ann Ayre: St. George, Hanover Square.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

Probably from ME. eire, eyre, OF, heir, heyr, etc., an heir. The names of Henry le Eyer, Adam le Eyr, and William le Eyre are recorded in the English Hundred Rolls in 1273. Robert le Eyr of Presfen was charged in 1296 with seizing 966 head of cattle and two chargers belonging to Hugh Dispensar (Bain, II, p. 192). Hewe Eyr of Roxburghshire who rendered homage in that year may be the Hugh Eyr who was one of an inquest at Selkirk in 1305 (ibid., p. 199,453). John Eyr of Mesfennon, of Peeblesshire, who rendered homage may be the John Ayre who held land in Peebles in 1304 (ibid., p. 207,385). Stevene le fiz Johan Heir of Berwickshire also rendered homage in 1296. His seal bears an eight-rayed figure, S' Steph'ni Hair (ibid., p. 207,555). Stevene Eyr of Eytone who also rendered homage may be the same person (ibid., p. 210). David Ere in the parish of Derray, in 1650 (Kilbarchan). Johan Ihre (1707—1780), Swedish philologist, has been claimed as of Scottish descent but on doubtful authority. See also Air.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

= Eyre, q.v.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(English) Descendant of the heir, i.e., the person in whom the fee of the real property of an intestate is vested at his death.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

For the traditional origin of this name in the circumstance of a Norman knight having, at the battle of Hastings, succoured duke William of Normandy and given him air when he was in danger of suffocation-see English Surn. ii. 3. The true meaning of the name seems to be heir (haeres) since the H.R. give us the forms of Le Eyr, and Le Eyre; in fact the Old English orthography usually rejects the initial h in this word. Brother, Cousin, Friend, and various other words expressive of consanguineous and social relations, are also found in our family nomenclature.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

The same as Ayres or Ayre (which see).

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

Ayer Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Ayer Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Ayer (Hindi: आयेर्, Marathi: आयेर, Russian: Айер) is more frequently found in The United States than any other country or territory. It can be found as a variant: Äyer. Click here for further potential spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Ayer? popularity and diffusion

This last name is the 38,399th most frequent last name in the world, held by around 1 in 532,015 people. It occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 37 percent of Ayer live; 36 percent live in North America and 36 percent live in Anglo-North America. It is also the 295,418th most frequently used first name in the world. It is borne by 772 people.

The surname is most widely held in The United States, where it is carried by 4,581 people, or 1 in 79,122. In The United States it is most prevalent in: California, where 10 percent reside, Massachusetts, where 8 percent reside and South Carolina, where 6 percent reside. Excluding The United States Ayer is found in 68 countries. It also occurs in Turkey, where 15 percent reside and Ghana, where 12 percent reside.

Ayer Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The prevalency of Ayer has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Ayer last name increased 275 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 145 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it declined 75 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Ayer Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those holding the Ayer surname is chiefly Presbyterian (100%) in Ireland.

In The United States those bearing the Ayer last name are 5.85% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 52.62% registered with the political party.

The amount Ayer earn in different countries varies markedly. In South Africa they earn 54.93% more than the national average, earning R 368,184 per year; in United States they earn 5.85% more than the national average, earning $45,673 USD per year and in Canada they earn 9.84% more than the national average, earning $54,574 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Äyer92124/
Gayer896,250/
Hayer895,847/
Ayere891,321/
Ayerh891,125/
Ayier89126/
Ayeer89118/
Auyer8986/
Ağyer8954/
Ahyer8927/
Ayerd892/
Ayerr891/
Ayerz891/
Ayher890/
Ayert890/
Ayr865,361/
Yer862,913/
Aer862,198/
Hayere80452/
Ayeere8066/
Hayher8015/
Hayert8011/
Hauyer802/
Ayerre802/
Hayeer801/
Gayerh801/
Gayher801/
Gayeer801/
Hayier801/
Hahyer801/
D'Ayer801/
Auyert801/
Ayerhe801/
Iyer7549,820/
Auer7546,767/
Ayar7524,104/
Ayre757,533/
Ayor756,695/
Eyer755,425/
Oyer754,246/
Aier751,494/
Gaer751,196/
Awer75752/
Ajer75604/
Ayur75272/
Yerr75213/
Uyer75193/
Ayir75182/
Hayr7587/
Gayr7561/
Ayyr7523/
Aayr7516/
Aiyr756/
Aerr756/
Aerh752/
Øyer752/
Aysr752/
Yerh751/
Yyer751/
Üyer751/
Ajyr751/
Ayrd751/
Ayrz751/
D'Hayer73131/
Ayerova7372/
Ahyerre739/
Hahyere731/
Geyer6742,938/
Hoyer6724,026/
Heyer6720,459/
Hauer6718,834/
Iyere677,556/
Ahyar677,361/
Aayre677,194/
Gauer676,121/
Gayar675,677/
Goyer675,011/
Awere674,065/
Ayasr673,419/
Oyier672,931/
Gaier672,377/
Ayare672,354/
Ayour671,963/
Hayre671,952/
Hayir671,812/
Agger671,556/
Gajer671,465/
Ahjer671,267/
Hayar671,254/
Ağyar671,148/
Hajer67982/
Gayir67915/
Ayure67844/
Ayuur67800/
Haier67751/
Oyere67724/
Huyer67640/
Ajerd67549/
Ayard67505/
Eyere67461/
Aweer67458/
Auert67424/
Ayhar67317/
Uyere67287/
Ayore67273/
Gayur67256/
Hawer67238/
Ayire67201/
Eyier67169/
Hayur67159/
Ajeer67136/
Ai'er67107/
Ayoor67104/
Ayırt6784/
Awier6774/
Giyer6766/
Aiere6764/
Aouer6750/
Gayor6747/
Aajer6741/
Hayor6738/
Eyert6733/
Auere6723/
Ahwer6721/
Hayerová6719/
Ayaur6716/
Ayreh6716/
Haehr6714/
Ajier6714/
Hyjer6711/
Auerr6710/
Uyier6710/
Aiher679/
Ayarr679/
Ayior679/
Hiyer678/
Ihyer678/
Gayár678/
Gaehr678/
Iyerr677/
Aheir676/
Yiyer676/
Yoyer675/
Ayyor674/
Aieer674/
Aiyor674/
Ayart674/
Auyar673/
Ajoer673/
Haiyr673/
Haytr673/
D'Hayere673/
Aiyre672/
Ieyer672/
Ahyre672/
D'Ayr672/
Ahyor672/
Awyor672/
Hayır672/
Ayorh672/
Hayrd671/
Iyesr671/
Eeyer671/
Eyher671/
Ayrre671/
Aysre671/
Ahger671/
Ajerz671/
Auehr671/
Auyor671/
Ouyer671/
Gayır671/
Ohyer671/
Ioyer671/
Ayirh671/
Hayrr671/
Hayerova671/
Hayjr671/
Ahayr671/
D'Yer671/
Ayarp671/
Ajerh671/
Oyert671/
Ahhyr671/
Ayhir671/
Ayrth671/
Gaiyr671/
Hgaer671/
Hyerh671/
Auier670/
Hyyer670/
Hyier670/
Oyher670/

Ayer Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Ayer in the Hindi language
आयेर्ayer-
Ayer in the Marathi language
आयेरayera88.1
अयेरayera9.52
आयॅरayera2.38
Ayer in the Russian language
Айерajer-

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Ayer
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis