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Bayer Family History

Bayer Surname Meaning

German, Scandinavian, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from Bavaria (German Bayern). This region of southern Germany derives its name from that of the Celtic tribe of the Boii who once inhabited this area. They were displaced in the 6th century AD by an ancient Germanic people, the Boioarii or Baiuarii, whose name is derived from that of their Celtic predecessors. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine), Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland. Compare Beyer and Payer.

English (Lincolnshire): occupational name for a maker of baize cloth, from an agent derivative of Old French baies, Middle English bayes (from the adjective bai ‘reddish-brown, bay’), probably so called because of its original color. This material was said to have been introduced into Britain by immigrants from France and the Netherlands in the 16th century, but the word certainly appears much earlier in English.

The surname may also be topographic, denoting a ‘dweller by the bend’, from an agent derivative of Old English bēag ‘bend’. Dutch: variant of Baijer, a cognate of 1 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Bayer family from?

You can see how Bayer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bayer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bayer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 76 Bayer families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Bayer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bayer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bayer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bayer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Private Means and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bayer. 34% of Bayer men worked as a Private Means and 67% of Bayer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bayer were Lorry Driver and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Bayer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Private Means
    34%
  • Gardener
    34%
  • Lorry Driver
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%

What Bayer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Bayer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bayer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bayer

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Bayer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bayer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 37,000 military records available for the last name Bayer. For the veterans among your Bayer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Bayer family history

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What is the average Bayer lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Bayer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bayer in 1942 was 38, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bayer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bayer ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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