The Dyer surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 47,170 people carried this name — #742 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 6,250 people counted. That is up 1% from 46,574 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Dyer surname
An English surname originating as an occupation for a dyer of cloth.
As an English surname, from dyer (“one who dyes”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Dyer» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 16 births for the Dyer name in 1890.
Most were registered in Connacht. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 2 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Roscommon, and Sligo.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 47 people named Dyer.
22 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Aube.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
38 people named Dyer live in Switzerland.
They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In the Nordic population registers
30 people named Dyer is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Dyer was found among the farmers of 4 counties.
It was most frequent in Suffolk: 20 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 500. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.
Where it concentrates, on the mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.
In Scotland’s registers today
Dyer was recorded 23 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 1041st most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 50. 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
244 families named Dyer, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 1,466 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 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
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. 238 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Dyer in American newspapers,
1899–1918.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,942,225 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Dyer in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.
77,721 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dyer. The most, 12,120, date from the 1930s. Victoria 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 Western Australia, at 1.5 times its expected share.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dyer.
Who carried it
People named Dyer,
with a public archive behind them.
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Elizabeth Chantrelle d. 1878 · homemaking -
Charles Dyer d. 1937 · judge
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Thomas Dyer d. 1565 · politician
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James Dyer d. 1590 · politician
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Adair Dyer d. 2015 · lawyer
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Senimili Dyer d. 2013 · politician
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Dyer,
in the records of 7 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 States4,749 records
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,748
- U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 755
- Other U.S. records 2,246
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Irby DyerBorn 1943; from Midland, Texas. U.S. Army, medical specialist; killed in action 1966 in Laos. Buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Daniel H. DyerBorn 1922 in Missouri. Enlisted 1943 at Jefferson Barracks; metal worker from St Louis City. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1966, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Bridget DyerArrived at New York in 1854 aboard the William Hitchcock from Liverpool, aged 40; seamstress. From Ireland.
U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
Showing 3 of 4,749 records for Dyer in the United States.
Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). 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).
Australia2,104 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,050
- Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 385
- Other Australian records 669
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Susan DyerTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emma Eugenia, sailing from London in 1843. Native of Weymouth, Dorset. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845. Married 1845 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record John DyerTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the York, sailing from Plymouth in 1832. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841. Married 1841 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 31.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Elizabeth DyerArrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Persian, aged 34; English.
Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 2,104 records for Dyer 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) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
Canada198 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 85
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial 30
- Other Canadian records 83
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Example: German emigration file, 1883 Emigration record Jeremy DyerLeft New York in 1783 aboard the Lady's Adventure, bound for St. Johns, aged 20.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record John DyerCame to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Polynesian, landing at Halifax, bound for Simcoe, Ontario; Irish.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Leslie DyerBuried in 1999 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 83.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
Showing 3 of 198 records for Dyer in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom102 records
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 61
- St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 30
- Other British records 11
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Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919 War record Charles Harold DyerBorn 1869 at Halifax. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.
National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Eliza Harris DyerBuried in 1900 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 64.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: probate petition, 1848 Probate record Margaret DyerWill proved in 1925; of Swansea.
National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
Showing 3 of 102 records for Dyer 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. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. 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); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).
New Zealand99 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 87
- Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 6
- Other New Zealand records 6
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Rima Dulce DyerBuried in 1986 at Little River Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 52.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Caroline DyerBuried in 1898 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 80.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record William Pettingal DyerDied 1920, aged 64; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 99 records for Dyer 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) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
France12 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Laure Alexandrine Marie DyerBorn 1893 in Magalas; died 1975 in Magalas (Hérault).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Georges Edouard Marie DyerBorn 1901 in Paris; died 1984 in Reims (Marne).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Francoise DyerBorn 1929 in Paris; died 1988 in Montpellier (Hérault).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 3 of 12 records for Dyer in France.
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).
Netherlands1 record
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Example: marriage register, 1911 Marriage record Arthur Frederick DyerMarried in 1946 in Nijmegen; accountant.
Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
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).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Dyer.
- Duyck 455 · U.S. census
- Duzan 700 · U.S. census
- Dvorak 7,771 · U.S. census
- Dwyer 27,240 · U.S. census
- Dy 1,932 · U.S. census
- Dye 28,182 · U.S. census
- Dyke 5,037 · U.S. census
- Dykes 13,874 · U.S. census
- Dykstra 7,913 · U.S. census
- Dyon 114 · U.S. census
- Dyś 140 · U.S. census
- Dyson 12,017 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
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