NameCensus.

UK surname

Myers

An occupational surname referring to a steward or bailiff who managed land and collected rents for a landlord.

In the 1881 census there were 7,817 people recorded with the Myers surname, ranking it #535 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,473, ranked #525, up from #535 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Liverpool and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Ryedale and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Myers is 12,693 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.6%.

1881 census count

7,817

Ranked #535

Modern count

12,473

2016, ranked #525

Peak year

2010

12,693 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Myers had 7,817 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #535 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,473 in 2016, ranked #525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,228 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Myers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Myers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Myers 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 4,610 #603
1861 historical 4,685 #604
1881 historical 7,817 #535
1891 historical 8,314 #530
1901 historical 10,078 #518
1911 historical 11,228 #434
1997 modern 12,319 #498
1998 modern 12,561 #512
1999 modern 12,621 #513
2000 modern 12,516 #515
2001 modern 12,216 #515
2002 modern 12,507 #513
2003 modern 12,229 #513
2004 modern 12,124 #516
2005 modern 11,838 #525
2006 modern 11,793 #529
2007 modern 11,985 #526
2008 modern 12,060 #526
2009 modern 12,401 #523
2010 modern 12,693 #516
2011 modern 12,471 #522
2012 modern 12,361 #515
2013 modern 12,645 #518
2014 modern 12,657 #519
2015 modern 12,559 #518
2016 modern 12,473 #525

Geography

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Where Myers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Liverpool, Bradford, Sheffield and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Ryedale, Copeland and Wakefield. 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 3
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 015 Leeds
2 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
3 Copeland 008 Copeland
4 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
5 Wakefield 034 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Myers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Myers

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Myers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Myers 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

Myers falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Myers 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 Myers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Myers

The surname Myers is of Anglo-German origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English "myres," meaning marshes or bogs, suggesting that the name likely originated among people living in marshy areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Aluric de Meres in Shropshire, England. This early spelling variation, "de Meres," reflects the name's connection to a specific place or locality.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, including Mires, Myres, and Myers, as it spread across different regions of England. One notable figure from this period was Sir John Meres, a member of the Garter Knights of Bedfordshire, who lived around 1380.

By the 16th century, the Myers surname had become more widespread, particularly in counties like Yorkshire and Lancashire. In 1592, a record mentions a Thomas Myers, a yeoman from Yorkshire, indicating the name's association with landowners and farmers.

As the name spread across Europe, it also took on different variations based on local languages and dialects. In Germany, for instance, the name was often spelled as Meier or Meyers, deriving from the German word "Meier," which means a steward or bailiff.

One of the most famous bearers of the Myers surname was the American writer and educator, Gustavus Myers (1842-1942), known for his critical works on the history of the United States and its economic and political systems.

Other notable individuals with the Myers surname include:

1. Frances Myers (1893-1973), an American artist and illustrator known for her children's book illustrations. 2. Walter Myers (1937-2014), a American writer of children's books and young adult literature, renowned for his depictions of urban life and African American experiences. 3. Alice Myers (1892-1992), an Australian painter and printmaker, recognized for her landscape and still life works. 4. Howard Myers (1897-1981), an American film director and producer, best known for his work in the Western genre during the 1940s and 1950s. 5. Frederic W.H. Myers (1843-1901), an English poet and literary critic, and a founding member of the Society for Psychical Research.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Myers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Myers 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,406 Myers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,406 4.51x
Lancashire 1,343 1.49x
Middlesex 1,027 1.35x
Durham 472 2.08x
Surrey 200 0.54x
Cumberland 123 1.87x
Warwickshire 116 0.60x
Cheshire 111 0.66x
Lincolnshire 109 0.89x
Kent 98 0.38x
Northumberland 70 0.62x
Bedfordshire 63 1.60x
Hertfordshire 60 1.14x
Hampshire 45 0.29x
Staffordshire 41 0.16x
Devon 40 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 37 0.36x
Derbyshire 34 0.29x
Midlothian 33 0.32x
Gloucestershire 30 0.20x
Leicestershire 28 0.33x
Monmouthshire 25 0.45x
Essex 23 0.15x
Lanarkshire 23 0.09x
Sussex 23 0.18x
Angus 19 0.27x
Northamptonshire 17 0.24x
Somerset 17 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 16 0.66x
Oxfordshire 11 0.23x
Dunbartonshire 10 0.49x
Suffolk 10 0.11x
Glamorgan 9 0.07x
West Lothian 9 0.78x
Westmorland 9 0.54x
Worcestershire 9 0.09x
Berkshire 8 0.14x
Flintshire 8 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 0.73x
Shropshire 8 0.12x
Royal Navy 7 0.77x
Rutland 7 1.25x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.13x
Norfolk 6 0.05x
Perthshire 6 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.10x
Channel Islands 5 0.22x
Cornwall 5 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.10x
Kincardineshire 3 0.32x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Morayshire 2 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.04x
Orkney 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 303 Myers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.11x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 303 7.11x
Yeadon 213 124.91x
Liverpool 164 2.99x
Idle 141 40.27x
Bradford 118 6.45x
Mile End Old Town 117 9.73x
Islington London 89 1.20x
Whitechapel London 81 10.78x
Armley 78 23.42x
St Pancras London 76 1.24x
Horton In Bradford 75 6.36x
Pudsey 72 17.84x
Barrow In Furness 70 5.69x
Bowling 67 8.96x
Wortley In Bramley 63 10.53x
Toxteth Park 62 2.02x
Manchester 61 1.50x
Headingley Cum Burley 59 12.14x
Manningham 59 6.34x
Scarborough 57 8.31x
Ecclesfield 54 9.75x
Hulme 53 2.81x
Birmingham 52 0.81x
Spitalfields London 52 9.07x
Sheffield 49 2.04x
St George In East 49 9.45x
Wigan 49 3.88x
Bramley In Bramley 48 16.60x
Kimberworth 47 11.21x
Otley 47 25.63x
Bethnal Green London 45 1.36x
North Bierley 45 11.04x
Guiseley 43 44.47x
Kensington London 43 1.01x
St Botolph Aldgate 43 41.33x
Holy Trinity 42 2.31x
Paddington London 42 1.50x
Horsforth 41 24.76x
West Derby 41 1.55x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 40 5.69x
Dalton In Furness 40 11.46x
Keighley 39 4.85x
Southcoates 39 9.30x
Accrington 36 4.38x
Aston 36 0.68x
Stockton On Tees 36 3.29x
Middlesbrough 35 3.56x
Birkenhead 34 2.54x
Darlington 34 3.88x
Linthorpe 34 7.54x
Shipley 34 8.68x
Camberwell 33 0.68x
Holbeck 33 6.60x
Hackney London 32 0.75x
Lambeth 32 0.48x
Burnley 31 4.07x
Tranmere 31 5.01x
Kirkdale 30 1.97x
Everton 29 1.01x
Shoreditch London 29 0.88x
Bishopwearmouth 28 1.44x
Brightside Bierlow 28 1.89x
Morley 28 7.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 1.37x
Bedford St Paul 27 9.98x
Dewsbury 27 3.49x
Framwellgate 27 20.10x
Leven 27 121.79x
Skipton 27 11.36x
Westoe 27 2.10x
Blackburn 26 1.08x
Arthington 25 213.49x
Barnsley 25 3.21x
Hunslet 25 2.12x
Mile End New Town 25 24.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 25 1.63x
Chelsea London 24 1.05x
Windle 24 4.72x
Habergham Eaves 23 2.78x
Rotherham 23 5.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 510
Sarah 282
Elizabeth 272
Ann 165
Jane 144
Annie 142
Hannah 139
Margaret 127
Alice 99
Eliza 99
Martha 97
Ellen 86
Emma 69
Emily 60
Esther 54
Maria 50
Harriet 44
Catherine 42
Clara 42
Edith 39
Ada 38
Rebecca 38
Fanny 37
Florence 37
Charlotte 36
Caroline 33
Kate 33
Anne 32
Agnes 31
Rachel 29
Rose 28
Frances 27
Lucy 26
Louisa 25
Isabella 22
Amelia 20
Julia 18
Sophia 17
Grace 16
Susannah 16
Ruth 15
Eleanor 14
Susan 14
Betsy 13
Elizth. 13
Ethel 13
Leah 13
Anna 12
Minnie 12
Phoebe 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 491
William 402
George 241
Thomas 221
James 206
Joseph 167
Henry 141
Charles 103
Robert 99
Edward 76
Samuel 71
Arthur 57
Alfred 56
Albert 53
Richard 46
Frederick 45
David 40
Benjamin 36
Harry 36
Isaac 36
Walter 34
Abraham 30
Herbert 29
Frank 28
Wm. 28
Thos. 25
Fred 24
Michael 24
Francis 22
Ernest 21
Lewis 16
Morris 16
Daniel 14
Jacob 14
Jno. 14
Matthew 14
Tom 14
Geo. 13
Mark 13
Philip 13
Stephen 12
Joshua 11
Solomon 11
Israel 10
Peter 10
Christopher 9
Edwin 9
Louis 9
Patrick 8
Simeon 8

Top occupations

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 Myers households.

FAQ

Myers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Myers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,817 people were recorded with the Myers surname. That placed it at #535 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Myers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,473 in 2016. That gives Myers a modern rank of #525.

What does the Myers surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a steward or bailiff who managed land and collected rents for a landlord.

What does the Myers map show?

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