Mayer
Usually a surname for a mayor or chief officer, though in some families it overlaps with German Meyer/Meier forms.
The #880 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,805 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In English use, Mayer is usually an occupational surname from Middle English and Anglo-Norman words for a mayor or municipal chief officer, ultimately from Latin major, meaning 'greater' or 'superior.' The form is closely related to Mayor and often appears as a spelling variant in older records. In many cases, however, especially in later British and American usage, Mayer also reflects the German surname Meyer/Meier, a separate but similar-looking name associated with a steward, bailiff, or farmer.
History
English records show Mayer alongside Mayor and related forms from the medieval period onward. By the 19th century, surname dictionaries often noted that many London and American examples were of more recent German importation rather than native English origin. The name is also found in Scots and Irish contexts through comparable local surname forms and spelling variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers often warned that Mayer in city directories could be misleading, because some bearers were English 'Mayor' forms while others were German Meyer families.
From the historical record
“MAYCOX, Maycock's (Son) : v, Mayoock. MAYER 1 (A.-Fr.-Lat.) Mayor [M.E. meir{e, MAYOR J myre, maire, Fr. maire, mayetir, maieur, Lat. major, compar. of magnus, great] David le Meir. — Hund. Rolls. John le Myre.— Hac. Dom. Cap. Westm.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Mayer
- Maria Goeppert Mayer (1906–1972)
- John Mayer (b. 1977)
- Julius von Mayer (1814–1878)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.