NameCensus.

UK surname

Meyers

A German occupational surname referring to a steward, bailiff, or administrator of a landowner's estate.

In the 1881 census there were 276 people recorded with the Meyers surname, ranking it #10,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 651, ranked #8,175, up from #10,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ruabon, London parishes and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Croydon, Leicester and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meyers is 665 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.9%.

1881 census count

276

Ranked #10,305

Modern count

651

2016, ranked #8,175

Peak year

2010

665 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meyers had 276 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 651 in 2016, ranked #8,175.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 368 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Meyers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meyers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meyers 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 217 #9,784
1861 historical 191 #12,467
1881 historical 276 #10,305
1891 historical 325 #10,426
1901 historical 368 #10,057
1911 historical 353 #10,212
1997 modern 557 #8,579
1998 modern 569 #8,694
1999 modern 592 #8,517
2000 modern 579 #8,611
2001 modern 579 #8,495
2002 modern 626 #8,196
2003 modern 623 #8,089
2004 modern 639 #7,931
2005 modern 634 #7,932
2006 modern 637 #7,923
2007 modern 641 #7,952
2008 modern 635 #8,054
2009 modern 655 #8,019
2010 modern 665 #8,099
2011 modern 662 #8,039
2012 modern 640 #8,156
2013 modern 645 #8,264
2014 modern 660 #8,149
2015 modern 655 #8,145
2016 modern 651 #8,175

Geography

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Where Meyers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ruabon, London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and St Leonard Shoreditch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Croydon, Leicester, Wrexham, West Dorset and Barnet. 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 Ruabon Denbighshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Croydon 019 Croydon
2 Leicester 035 Leicester
3 Wrexham 017 Wrexham
4 West Dorset 005 West Dorset
5 Barnet 035 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meyers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meyers

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Meyers, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Meyers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Meyers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Meyers is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Meyers 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

Meyers falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Meyers is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Meyers

The surname MEYERS originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "meier," which means "a wealthy farmer" or "overseer of an estate." It is also related to the Old High German word "meigar," meaning "steward" or "tenant farmer." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, between the 5th and 15th centuries.

The earliest known records of the name MEYERS can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia. The name was often associated with individuals who worked as estate managers or tenant farmers on large agricultural properties owned by nobility or the church.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name MEYERS was Johann Meyers, a farmer and landowner from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Franconia, who was mentioned in a local tax record in 1312. Another notable early reference is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, which mentions a certain Henricus Meyers from Leipzig in 1387.

Over time, the name MEYERS underwent various spelling variations, such as Meier, Meyer, Mayer, and Mayr, reflecting regional dialects and scribal practices. Some of these variations were also influenced by the migration of families bearing the name to other parts of Europe and beyond.

Prominent individuals with the surname MEYERS throughout history include:

1. Jeremiah Meyers (1735-1789), an American revolutionary and colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. 2. Hans Meyers (1835-1916), a German-American painter and illustrator known for his portraits and scenes depicting Native American life. 3. Henry Meyers (1782-1847), a Dutch-American businessman and politician who served as the 14th Mayor of New York City from 1807 to 1808. 4. Agnes Meyers (1855-1927), a German-American educator and women's rights activist who co-founded the National German-American Teachers' Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 5. Heinrich Meyers (1630-1700), a German Baroque composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

While the name MEYERS has its roots in German language and culture, it has since spread across the globe through migration and has become a common surname in many countries, particularly in the United States and other regions with significant German-American populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meyers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meyers 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 114 Meyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 114 4.28x
Surrey 27 2.08x
Lancashire 25 0.79x
Yorkshire 17 0.64x
Norfolk 12 2.93x
Kent 9 0.99x
Durham 8 1.01x
Hampshire 8 1.47x
Devon 7 1.26x
Leicestershire 7 2.37x
Cumberland 5 2.18x
Essex 5 0.95x
Berkshire 4 2.00x
Northamptonshire 4 1.60x
Northumberland 4 1.01x
Cheshire 3 0.51x
Glamorgan 3 0.65x
Gloucestershire 2 0.38x
Hertfordshire 2 1.09x
Sussex 2 0.45x
Bedfordshire 1 0.73x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.93x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 3.15x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

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 19 Meyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.86x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 19 8.86x
Shoreditch London 12 10.40x
Ealing 7 29.41x
Enfield 7 40.07x
Heston 7 79.19x
Kensington London 7 4.73x
Paddington London 7 7.15x
St Martin In Fields 7 43.91x
Swaffham 7 210.21x
Bermondsey 6 7.57x
Clerkenwell London 6 9.55x
Salford 6 6.46x
St George Bloomsbury 6 39.27x
St Marylebone London 6 4.22x
Alverstoke 5 25.30x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 20.34x
Liverpool 5 2.61x
Stokenham 5 320.51x
Camberwell 4 2.35x
Foulsham 4 459.77x
Hammersmith London 4 6.10x
Hythe St Leonard 4 124.61x
Manchester 4 2.81x
Market Harborough 4 300.75x
Mile End Old Town 4 9.52x
Penge 4 23.52x
Southwark St Saviour 4 29.22x
Twickenham 4 35.03x
Wellingborough 4 31.77x
Ashton In Makerfield 3 33.33x
Berwick Upon Tweed 3 35.76x
Cardiff St Mary 3 11.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 5.59x
Guisbrough 3 51.99x
Holy Trinity 3 4.73x
Lambeth 3 1.29x
Leicester St Margaret 3 4.17x
Stranton 3 11.25x
West Ham 3 2.59x
Wetheral 3 98.68x
Batley 2 7.97x
Blackburn 2 2.38x
Friern Barnet 2 34.07x
Islington London 2 0.77x
Kingston On Thames 2 6.42x
Maidstone 2 7.39x
Reading St Mary 2 12.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.73x
St George Hanover 2 5.75x
Tanfield 2 21.23x
Teddington London 2 33.17x
Thursby 2 408.16x
Toxteth Park 2 1.87x
Ventnor 2 38.54x
Westoe 2 4.45x
Battersea 1 1.02x
Bedford St Paul 1 10.57x
Bengeo 1 46.95x
Bristol Christchurch 1 131.58x
Chigwell 1 20.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.99x
Eltham 1 18.80x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.95x
Hungerford 1 37.04x
Ifield 1 1666.67x
Leyton 1 11.05x
Litchurch 1 5.96x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 21.32x
Minster In Thanet 1 52.91x
Moss Side 1 6.01x
Norwood 1 16.42x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.34x
Portsmouth 1 7.96x
Reading St Giles 1 5.10x
Royal Navy 1 3.69x
Sale 1 13.87x
Sawbridgeworth 1 35.97x
South Shields 1 14.16x
St Giles In Fields 1 10.89x
Tranmere 1 4.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 8
Ann 5
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Harriet 3
Helen 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Constance 2
E. 2
Ellen 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lily 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Maude 2
Susan 2
Amelia 1
Angelina 1
Car 1
Car. 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Eliz. 1
Emilie 1
Esher 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Harriette 1
Hester 1
Janet 1
Jessy 1
Laura 1
Zellah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 10
Henry 8
Thomas 8
George 6
James 6
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Louis 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Barnett 2
Edwd. 2
Frank 2
Jacob 2
Matthew 2
Antonio 1
Archibald 1
Burghley 1
Carl 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Christian 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Eize 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Ferdinand 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
G.Tarrant 1
Guy 1
Harris 1
Her.Wm. 1
Herbert 1
Hernias 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Julius 1
Leonard 1
Mica 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Meyers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meyers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 276 people were recorded with the Meyers surname. That placed it at #10,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meyers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 651 in 2016. That gives Meyers a modern rank of #8,175.

What does the Meyers surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a steward, bailiff, or administrator of a landowner's estate.

What does the Meyers map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Meyers 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.