NameCensus.

UK surname

Beyer

A German occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold beer, derived from the Middle High German "beier".

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Beyer surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 250, ranked #16,792, up from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Telford and Wrekin and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beyer is 274 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.4%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

250

2016, ranked #16,792

Peak year

2010

274 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beyer had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016, ranked #16,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 213 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Beyer surname distribution map

The map shows where the Beyer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Beyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beyer over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 36 #26,838
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 213 #14,379
1997 modern 238 #15,760
1998 modern 254 #15,508
1999 modern 263 #15,267
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 246 #15,684
2002 modern 238 #16,378
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 244 #15,900
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 259 #15,519
2008 modern 257 #15,777
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 274 #15,705
2011 modern 259 #16,237
2012 modern 258 #16,165
2013 modern 248 #16,877
2014 modern 257 #16,598
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 250 #16,792

Geography

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Where Beyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Camden, Telford and Wrekin, Sheffield, Peterborough and Aylesbury Vale. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Camden 002 Camden
2 Telford and Wrekin 011 Telford and Wrekin
3 Sheffield 003 Sheffield
4 Peterborough 008 Peterborough
5 Aylesbury Vale 022 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beyer

These lists show first names that appear often with the Beyer surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beyer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Beyer, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Beyer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Beyer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Beyer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beyer is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beyer falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beyer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Beyer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Beyer

The surname BEYER has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old German word "bure," meaning a peasant or farmer. This occupational surname likely referred to someone who worked as a farmer or lived in a rural area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEYER can be found in the records of the city of Cologne, where a certain Hermann Beyer was mentioned in 1312. The name also appears in various chronicles and manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries in regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname BEYER was Johann Beyer, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1572. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was also known for his work on logarithms.

During the 17th century, the name BEYER was found in several places across Germany, including the town of Beyer in Saxony, which may have influenced the spread of the surname. Another individual of note was Johann Beyer, a German composer and organist born in 1665, who made important contributions to the development of baroque music.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the surname BEYER was Christian Beyer, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1730. He was known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.

The 19th century saw the rise of Friedrich Beyer, a German industrialist born in 1822, who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Saxony. He was also a philanthropist and supporter of education.

As the BEYER surname spread throughout Germany and beyond, it underwent various spellings and variations, such as Beir, Bair, and Bauer, which were influenced by regional dialects and linguistic changes over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beyer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 45 Beyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 4.39x
Lancashire 15 1.23x
Surrey 8 1.60x
Midlothian 6 4.37x
Shropshire 6 6.78x
Wiltshire 5 5.52x
Cheshire 4 1.77x
Kent 3 0.86x
Durham 2 0.66x
Gloucestershire 2 1.00x
Hampshire 2 0.95x
Staffordshire 2 0.58x
Essex 1 0.49x
Herefordshire 1 2.38x
Royal Navy 1 8.19x
Sussex 1 0.58x
Warwickshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 15 Beyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.20x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 15 18.20x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 41.43x
Enfield 8 119.05x
Ellesmere 6 394.74x
Kingston On Thames 6 50.04x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 135.44x
Colerne 5 1351.35x
Shoreditch London 5 11.26x
South Leith 4 25.91x
Manchester 3 5.49x
Mile End Old Town London 3 13.76x
Sale 3 108.30x
Deptford St Paul 2 7.42x
Lancaster 2 27.66x
Portsea 2 4.86x
St George Hanover Square 2 11.08x
St Marylebone London 2 3.66x
West Bromwich 2 10.11x
Allesley 1 294.12x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.25x
Bristol St George 1 10.76x
Bromley 1 18.76x
Cramond 1 96.15x
Eastbourne 1 12.58x
Eccleston 1 909.09x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.81x
Forest Gate 1 357.14x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 133.33x
Horley 1 119.05x
Leominster 1 57.47x
Limehouse London 1 8.90x
Liverpool 1 1.35x
Moss Side 1 15.63x
St Anne Soho London 1 17.09x
Stranton 1 9.75x
Streatham 1 13.16x
Sunderland 1 18.59x
Westminster St Margaret 1 20.24x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Beyer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Louisa 5
Emma 4
Caroline 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Franzisca 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Mary 2
Sophia 2
Alice 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Florence 1
Fransiska 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Merry 1
Minnie 1
Pauline 1
Rachael 1
Tryeborg 1
Wut 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Beyer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Beyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Beyer surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016. That gives Beyer a modern rank of #16,792.

What does the Beyer surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold beer, derived from the Middle High German "beier".

What does the Beyer map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Beyer bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.