Explore the Family Name Byers
The meaning of Byers
1. Scottish (Borders) and English (Cumberland and Durham): topographic name for someone who lived by a cattleshed, Middle English byre, or a habitational name from any of several places called with Old English b̄re ‘cattleshed’, for example Byers Green in County Durham or Byres near Edinburgh. 2. English: variant of Byer, with either an original plural or a post-medieval excrescent -s. 3. English: variant of Byas. 4. Americanized form of German and Dutch Beyers or Bayer, or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname. Compare Bayers and Byars.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Byers in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Byers has seen a minor dip from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 1,022 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it slipped slightly to a rank of 1,087, marking a change of -6.36%. However, the total count of individuals with the Byers surname increased from 31,299 in 2000 to 32,174 in 2010, showing a growth of 2.8%. The proportion per 100k people also decreased by 5.95% over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,022 | #1,087 | -6.36% |
| Count | 31,299 | 32,174 | 2.8% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.6 | 10.91 | -5.95% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Byers
In regard to ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts in the distribution from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of individuals identified as White with the surname Byers decreased by 2.67%, while those identifying as Black saw an increase of 4.93%. Interestingly, the number of Byers identifying as Hispanic saw a significant rise of 72.93% during this decade. The proportions of Byers identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also rose, with increases of 35.71% and 9.09% respectively. Lastly, there was a 25.53% increase in the proportion of individuals with mixed ethnic identity.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.91% | 80.7% | -2.67% |
| Black | 13.39% | 14.05% | 4.93% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 2.3% | 72.93% |
| Two or More Races | 1.41% | 1.77% | 25.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.55% | 0.6% | 9.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.57% | 35.71% |
Byers ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Byers is British & Irish, which comprises 52.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.7%) and Eastern European (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.5% |
| French & German | 27.7% |
| Eastern European | 3.9% |
| Other | 16.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Byers
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Byers have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
What Byers haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Byers is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L555 and R-CTS2509, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ingram, Weber, Bowers, Weaver, Knight, Dennis, Miller, Walter, Beck, Becker.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Byers surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Byers have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Byers" Surname 45.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Byers" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Byers" Surname 24.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Byers" Surname 22.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Byers?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Byers are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition