The Byers surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 32,174 people carried this name — #1,087 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,170 people counted. That is up 3% from 31,299 in 2000.

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In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 10 births for the Byers name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 400 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Cavan.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 9
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Byers was recorded 25 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 962nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 35. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

106 families named Byers, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 652 people lived in those households, 6.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 25 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 65
New York 10
South Carolina 9
North Carolina 7
Maryland 5
Virginia 5
Massachusetts 2
Connecticut 2
Vermont 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 232 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Byers in American newspapers,
1899–1915.

Newspaper page from Yellowstone Monitor carrying the name Byers
Yellowstone Monitor 1915-10-07
Newspaper page from Foster's Daily Democrat carrying the name Byers
Foster's Daily Democrat 1899-08-10
Newspaper page from Yellowstone Monitor carrying the name Byers
Yellowstone Monitor 1914-10-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 641,905 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Byers in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

15,561 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Byers. The most, 2,337, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 12.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,061
Queensland 4,243
Victoria 3,279
Western Australia 1,422
Tasmania 679
South Australia 401
Northern Territory 308
ACT (Canberra) 151

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Byers.

Who carried it

People named Byers,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Mandale d. 1895
  • Maud Mary Hamilton Leslie d. 1963
  • Sarah Elizabeth Maltby d. 1953
  • Jane Halliwell Dempster d. 1912
  • Isabella Mandale d. 1902
  • Jeffery A Byers d. 2023 · researcher

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Byers,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,352 records

2,352 records of the Byers name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,146
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 416
  • Other U.S. records 790
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kenneth Edward Byers

    Born 1946; from San Leandro, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1967 in Phuoc Tuy, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John M. Byers

    Born 1915 in Ohio. Enlisted 1943 at Akron; paper mill worker from Summit County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Grandview Memorial Park, Ravenna, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margaret Byers

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Richmond from Liverpool, aged 30; servant. From Queenstown, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,352 records for Byers in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia543 records

543 records of the Byers name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 217
  • Tasmanian Names Index 120
  • Other Australian records 206
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record George Gibb Byers

    Died 1908 in Woodsdale, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1908.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Esther Byers

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Royal Charter, aged 24; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Elizabeth Byers

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Diamond, arriving 1838; certificate of freedom 1843.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 543 records for Byers in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada393 records

393 records of the Byers name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 295
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 32
  • Other Canadian records 66
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Emma Byers

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 48; buried at Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas W. Byers

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Sarmatian, landing at Quebec, bound for Gravenhurst, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Howard Harold Byers

    Buried in 1973 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 81.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 393 records for Byers in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand14 records

14 records of the Byers name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 11
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Elizabeth Byers

    Died 1944, aged 65; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kenneth Edward Byers

    Died 1993, aged 76; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ralph Byers

    Died 1986; ashes interred at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Byers in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Byers name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 11
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Byers

    Leicestershire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Byers

    Scottish Rifles. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record D. Byers

    Gordon Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Byers in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands10 records

10 records of the Byers name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 9
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mari Byers

    Married in 1789 in Lierop; born in Vlierden.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Eindhoven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Milford Austin Byers

    Married in 1946 in Baarn.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Byers

    Married in 1796 in Bergen op Zoom; born in Buitenpoorterij.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Byers in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Byers name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Florence Marion Byers

    Born 1918 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Puiselet-le-Marais (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Margarethe Francesca Byers

    Born 1957 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Chasné-sur-Illet (Ille-et-Vilaine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Byers name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Isabel Mandale Byers

    Born 1901 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Byers.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Byers is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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