Moyer
Likely a variant of a surname for a mower or, in some cases, a name linked to level ground or moorland.
The #935 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 8,333 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Moyer is often treated as a variant spelling of Mawer, an occupational name for a mower, someone who cut grass or grain. In some German contexts, however, Moyer can be linked to forms related to Maier/Meyer, a peasant or tenant farmer name, and older nickname-style explanations also connect it with words for flat or open country. Because the spelling occurs in more than one naming tradition, the surname can have different origins in different families.
History
In English records, Moyer appears as a variant spelling alongside Mower and Mawer, especially in older parish and civil entries. In North America it became established through several immigrant streams, including English and German families, which helps explain why the name can have more than one etymological background. The surname is now best known in the United States, where it remains moderately common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname guides sometimes explain Moyer in more than one way, which is a good reminder that the same spelling can hide different family histories.
From the historical record
“(U.S.X6. Moyer.^Occup. 'the mower,' a corruption of Mawer, q.v. 1776. Married— John Charles England and Mary Mower or Mover : St. Geo. Han.Sq.la6a”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)