Explore the Family Name Ryer
The meaning of Ryer
1. English (Sussex and Kent): probably from Rye (see Rea) + the suffix -er, and is thus synonymous with Middle English atte Rye, denoting someone who lived by a river or an island. This type of formation is common in Sussex and Kent. 2. Americanized form of German Reier ‘heron’ or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname. 3. Americanized form of Slovenian Rajar or Rajer (see Rayer).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ryer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Ryer has seen a minor decrease from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Ryer ranked 27,207 in popularity and fell slightly to the rank of 29,279 in 2010, marking a change of -7.62. The count of people with the surname also dropped from 836 in 2000 to 808 in 2010, a -3.35 change. The proportion of people carrying the Ryer surname per 100k individuals also decreased by -12.9 during this time period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,207 | #29,279 | -7.62% |
| Count | 836 | 808 | -3.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.27 | -12.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ryer
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Ryer experienced several shifts from 2000 to 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander with the surname increased from 1.20 to 1.73, marking a 44.17 change. Those identifying as White decreased from 89.47 to 86.63, a -3.17 change. Interestingly, individuals identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 0.96 to 1.61, a 67.71 change. Similarly, Black representation in the Ryer surname saw a notable increase from 5.98 to 8.91, which is a 49.00 change. On the other hand, data representing those identifying as Two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native was suppressed for privacy.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.47% | 86.63% | -3.17% |
| Black | 5.98% | 8.91% | 49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.2% | 1.73% | 44.17% |
| Hispanic | 0.96% | 1.61% | 67.71% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.72% | 0% | 0% |