Explore the Family Name Metayer
The meaning of Metayer
French (Métayer): status name for a tenant farmer who held land on condition of sharing its produce equally with the landlord, Old French meiteier (an agent derivative of meitié ‘half’, Late Latin medietas, from medius ‘middle’). This surname is also found in Haiti. Some characteristic forenames: French/Haitian Marcel, Lucien, Michel, Andre, Armand, Charlemagne, Edline, Francklin, Guerda, Jacques, Jean-Michel, Marcelle.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Metayer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Metayer has seen a surge in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 28,548 but by 2010 it had risen to 22,770 - an increase of over 20%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew significantly during this period, from 786 to 1,125, marking a 43.13% jump. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 residents increased by 31.03%, moving from 0.29 in 2000 to 0.38 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #28,548 | #22,770 | 20.24% |
| Count | 786 | 1,125 | 43.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.29 | 0.38 | 31.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Metayer
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. While there were no people of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native descent recorded with the surname Metayer, those identifying as Black experienced a significant increase from 59.67% to 76.80%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White decreased from 28.88% to 18.76%. A notable decline was also observed among people identifying as two or more races, down from 9.41% to just 1.33%. On the other hand, there was a slight rise in the Hispanic population carrying the Metayer surname, up from 1.65% to 2.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 59.67% | 76.8% | 28.71% |
| White | 28.88% | 18.76% | -35.04% |
| Hispanic | 1.65% | 2.58% | 56.36% |
| Two or More Races | 9.41% | 1.33% | -85.87% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |