UK surname
A surname of German origin referring to a farmer who tilled boggy or swampy ground.
In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Moyer surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 39, ranked #35,484, down from #20,127 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bebbington, Battersea and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moyer is 162 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 59.8%.
1881 census count
97
Ranked #20,127
Modern count
39
2016, ranked #35,484
Peak year
1861
162 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Moyer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Moyer surname density by area, 1911 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 | 123 | #14,886 |
| 1861 | historical | 162 | #14,310 |
| 1881 | historical | 97 | #20,127 |
| 1891 | historical | 80 | #26,785 |
| 1901 | historical | 110 | #21,604 |
| 1911 | historical | 110 | #21,519 |
| 1997 | modern | 38 | #33,872 |
| 1998 | modern | 42 | #33,651 |
| 1999 | modern | 41 | #33,866 |
| 2000 | modern | 35 | #34,420 |
| 2001 | modern | 30 | #34,753 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 41 | #34,113 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 45 | #34,160 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 45 | #34,699 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 48 | #34,798 |
| 2010 | modern | 49 | #34,886 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 41 | #35,328 |
| 2013 | modern | 44 | #35,222 |
| 2014 | modern | 39 | #35,493 |
| 2015 | modern | 39 | #35,472 |
| 2016 | modern | 39 | #35,484 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bebbington, Battersea, Edinburgh, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Pinchbeck, Cowbit. 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 | Bebbington | Cheshire |
| 2 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Peterborough St John the Baptist | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | Pinchbeck, Cowbit | Lincolnshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Moyer 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 Moyer, 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 Moyer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Moyer 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, Moyer 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 Moyer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Moyer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Moyer is of German origin, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was likely derived from the German word "Mayer," meaning a tenant farmer or steward of an estate.
In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Mayer, Meier, and Mayr, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations common during that time. One of the earliest known occurrences of the name can be found in the records of the town of Augsburg, Bavaria, where a certain Hans Mayer is mentioned in a document dated 1402.
The name Moyer is thought to have evolved from the earlier spellings as German immigrants settled in other regions, particularly in Pennsylvania, United States, where many of them established farming communities in the 18th and 19th centuries. The spelling "Moyer" became more prevalent in these areas, likely due to the influence of English pronunciation.
One notable figure with the surname Moyer was Johann Tobias Moyer (1737-1810), a German-American pioneer and settler in Pennsylvania. He and his family were among the early German immigrants to the region and helped establish the town of Northampton County.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Henry Moyer (1794-1873), an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate in the mid-19th century.
In the world of literature, the name Moyer is associated with Artur Moyer van den Bruck (1876-1925), a German cultural critic and political writer who played a significant role in the development of the Conservative Revolutionary movement in the early 20th century.
In the realm of sports, one cannot overlook Jamie Moyer (born 1962), a former professional baseball pitcher who had a remarkable career spanning over 25 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies.
Lastly, the name Moyer has also been linked to academic and scientific pursuits, with individuals such as Robert Moyer (1918-2004), an American physicist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of solid-state physics and held positions at various prestigious institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moyer 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. Lincolnshire leads with 39 Moyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.18x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 39 | 27.18x |
| Surrey | 18 | 4.12x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 0.89x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.66x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.79x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 1.51x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 1.09x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 0.69x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 1.66x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.54x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.56x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 9.35x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.85x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pinchbeck in Lincolnshire leads with 9 Moyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 978.26x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Pinchbeck | 9 | 978.26x |
| Battersea | 7 | 21.20x |
| Butterwick | 7 | 4375.00x |
| Spalding | 7 | 245.61x |
| West Derby | 7 | 22.46x |
| Great Grimsby | 6 | 65.86x |
| Camberwell | 5 | 8.72x |
| Paddington London | 4 | 12.12x |
| Richmond | 4 | 65.25x |
| Stamford St George | 4 | 625.00x |
| Pollington | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Tranmere | 3 | 41.21x |
| Barony | 2 | 2.72x |
| Bromley London | 2 | 10.13x |
| Sheffield | 2 | 7.06x |
| Sutton St Mary | 2 | 147.06x |
| Tetney | 2 | 800.00x |
| Billingborough | 1 | 270.27x |
| Devonport | 1 | 46.51x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 1 | 2.07x |
| Edinburgh St Johns | 1 | 131.58x |
| Gomersal | 1 | 24.10x |
| Great Malvern | 1 | 40.82x |
| Horton In Bradford | 1 | 7.20x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.15x |
| Portsmouth | 1 | 23.58x |
| Putney | 1 | 24.45x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 10.94x |
| Southampton St Mary | 1 | 8.64x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 5.54x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.38x |
| Stamford St Mary | 1 | 344.83x |
| Woodford St Mary | 1 | 500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Moyer 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 Moyer 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 Moyer households.
FAQ
In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Moyer surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 39 in 2016. That gives Moyer a modern rank of #35,484.
A surname of German origin referring to a farmer who tilled boggy or swampy ground.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Moyer 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.