Explore the Family Name Wyer
The meaning of Wyer
1. English: variant of Ware, from Middle English war(e), wer(e) ‘weir, fish trap’. This word developed regularly in early modern English to ware, wear(e), wer(re), weer(e), and weir(e), but it also appears as wier, wyre, and wire, presumably from a Middle English variant wire. The name may have been given to someone employed as a wereward ‘weir-keeper’. See also Weir and Wear. 2. English: in some cases, this is a habitational name from Wyre Forest or from Wyre Piddle, both in Worcestershire, probably named from a Celtic river name meaning ‘winding river’. 3. Irish (Westmeath and Offaly): from Mac an Mhaoir ‘son of the steward’; see Weir 4. 4. Probably also an Americanized form of German Weier or Weiher. Compare Wire.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wyer in the United States?
The surname Wyer has seen a decline in usage over the past decade, as indicated by data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Wyer was ranked 22,033rd in popularity among all surnames in the United States and had a count of 1,097 individuals. By 2010, its rank had dropped to 24,648 and the count decreased to 1,013. This represents an 11.87% drop in rank and a 7.66% decrease in the number of individuals with the Wyer surname. Similarly, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 population also decreased from 0.41 to 0.34, marking a reduction of 17.07%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,033 | #24,648 | -11.87% |
| Count | 1,097 | 1,013 | -7.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.41 | 0.34 | -17.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wyer
The ethnic identity associated with the Wyer surname has also shown some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority identify as White, accounting for 92.80% in 2000 and slightly dropping to 92.30% in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity disappeared completely from 0.82% in 2000 to none in 2010. Interestingly, no one identified as two or more races in 2000, but this category emerged in 2010 with 0.79%. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic slightly declined from 1.73% to 1.68%, while Black identification increased from 3.65% to 4.64%. There were no individuals who identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.8% | 92.3% | -0.54% |
| Black | 3.65% | 4.64% | 27.12% |
| Hispanic | 1.73% | 1.68% | -2.89% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0.79% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.82% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |