Explore the Family Name Maier
The meaning of Maier
1. German and Dutch (of German origin): variant of Mayer (see Meyer 1). The German surname in this form is also found in some other European countries, e.g. in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and Czechia. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from a variant of the personal name Meyer (see Meyer 2). 3. Romanian: of German origin (see Meyer 1). 4. Germanized form of Czech, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, and Hungarian Majer. 5. Dutch: variant of Maijer ‘reaper, mower’ (see Mayer 7). Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Hans, Otto, Helmut, Manfred, Gerhard, Lothar, Armin, Erwin, Franz, Heinz, Rudi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Maier in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Maier has seen some shifts in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 2385th most popular surname and by 2010, it had slightly dropped to the 2557th position, indicating a decrease of 7.21% in its ranking. The number of individuals with the Maier surname, however, showed a modest increase of 1.48% during the same period, growing from 13,929 in 2000 to 14,135 in 2010. The proportion of this surname per 100,000 people also decreased by 7.17%, from 5.16 in 2000 to 4.79 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,385 | #2,557 | -7.21% |
| Count | 13,929 | 14,135 | 1.48% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.16 | 4.79 | -7.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Maier
When examining the ethnic identities associated with the Maier surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting trends between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Maier holders identifying as White decreased by 1.65%, from 96.26% to 94.67%. However, there were significant increases within other ethnicities. There was an 87.50% increase within the Black community, albeit starting from a low base of 0.24% in 2000 to 0.45% in 2010. Hispanic representation also grew by 52.41%, from 1.66% to 2.53%. Additionally, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 45.65%, and individuals reporting two or more races increased by 25.71%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category experienced a smaller growth of 12.12%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.26% | 94.67% | -1.65% |
| Hispanic | 1.66% | 2.53% | 52.41% |
| Two or More Races | 1.05% | 1.32% | 25.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.67% | 45.65% |
| Black | 0.24% | 0.45% | 87.5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.37% | 12.12% |
Maier 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 Maier is French & German, which comprises 42.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (29.3%) and Eastern European (8.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Greek & Balkan, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.7% |
| British & Irish | 29.3% |
| Eastern European | 8.6% |
| Other | 19.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Maier
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 Maier have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 65.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 64.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 64.30% |
What Maier 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 Maier is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schaefer, Meyer, Schmidt, Hoffman, Wagner, Meyers, Fischer, Hoffmann, Becker, Mueller.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Maier 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 Maier 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.
"Maier" Surname 38.8%
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.
"Maier" Surname 26.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Maier" Surname 16.9%
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.
"Maier" Surname 17.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Maier?
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 Maier are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition