UK surname
A surname derived from the French word 'cayer', meaning bookkeeper or scribe.
In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Cayer surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #31,761 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, St Philip and Jacob and Guilsborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cayer is 117 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 38.5%.
1881 census count
13
Ranked #31,761
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1861
117 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cayer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cayer surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 2 | #33,133 |
| 1861 | historical | 117 | #18,635 |
| 1881 | historical | 13 | #31,761 |
| 1891 | historical | 11 | #33,268 |
| 1901 | historical | 6 | #33,591 |
| 1911 | historical | 3 | #33,789 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 4 | #38,082 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 7 | #37,293 |
| 2002 | modern | 7 | #37,379 |
| 2003 | modern | 7 | #37,397 |
| 2004 | modern | 6 | #37,655 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 5 | #38,004 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 5 | #38,186 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 9 | #37,653 |
| 2014 | modern | 9 | #37,679 |
| 2015 | modern | 9 | #37,684 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, St Philip and Jacob, Guilsborough, Laleham and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochdale | Lancashire |
| 2 | St Philip and Jacob | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Guilsborough | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | Laleham | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 5 | Whalley | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cayer surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cayer, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cayer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cayer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cayer is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cayer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cayer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cayer originated in France and is derived from the Old French word "cayer", meaning a small book or notebook. This name likely referred to an occupation, such as a scribe or clerk who handled important records and documents.
The earliest recorded instances of the Cayer surname date back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. Some of the earliest documented examples include Renaud Cayer, who was mentioned in records from the town of Rouen in 1285, and Geoffroy Cayer, a resident of Caen in 1312.
During the Middle Ages, the Cayer name appeared in various historical records, including the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Étienne de Caen, a 12th-century manuscript containing charters and legal documents from the Abbey of Saint-Étienne in Caen, Normandy.
The Cayer surname also has a connection to several place names in France, such as the commune of Cayers in the department of Calvados, which may have influenced the spelling variations of the name over time.
Some notable individuals with the Cayer surname throughout history include:
1. Jacques Cayer (1557-1625), a French Jesuit priest and theologian who served as a professor at the Jesuit College of La Flèche. 2. Louis Cayer (1655-1729), a French-Canadian settler and explorer who established a trading post along the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec. 3. Marie-Anne Cayer (1730-1809), a French-Canadian farmer and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the Mauricie region of Quebec. 4. Antoine Cayer (1792-1858), a French-Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada. 5. François-Xavier Cayer (1832-1902), a French-Canadian lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the Superior Court of Quebec.
Throughout its history, the Cayer surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Cayet, Cayez, Caiez, and Cayé, reflecting regional dialects and differences in record-keeping practices.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cayer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 5 Cayers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.35x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Laleham in Middlesex leads with 5 Cayers recorded in 1881 and an index of 50000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Laleham | 5 | 50000.00x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 1 | 588.24x |
| Huddersfield | 1 | 102.04x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cayer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cayer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cayer households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Masons Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Cayer surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Cayer a modern rank of #37,829.
A surname derived from the French word 'cayer', meaning bookkeeper or scribe.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cayer bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.