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Layer Family History

Layer Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the three places in Essex – Layer Breton, Layer de la Haye, and Layer Marney – all named from a river name Leire, the name of a small stream thought to be from a Celtic word meaning ‘mud’.

English: nickname or status name from Anglo-Norman French le eyr ‘the heir’. Compare Ayer.

English: occupational name for a stone layer, Middle English leyer, leghere; the job of the layer was to position the stones worked by the masons.

German: habitational name for someone from any of various places called Lay.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Layer family from?

You can see how Layer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Layer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Layer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 67 Layer families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Layer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Layer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Layer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Layer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Layer. 45% of Layer men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Layer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Layer were Builders General Labourer and General Assistant.

View Census Data for Layer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    45%
  • Horseman On Farm
    34%
  • Builders General Labourer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • General Assistant
    4%

What Layer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Layer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Layer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Layer

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Layer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Layer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Layer. For the veterans among your Layer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Layer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Layer family history

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What is the average Layer lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Layer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Layer in 1955 was 54, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Layer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Layer ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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