MYERS
The surname Myers is principally of English origin, with etymological roots that extend into Latin. It is traditionally associated with the British Isles and is most frequently encountered in England, where the language of record is English and the historical religion is Christian.
One line of derivation traces the name to the medieval given name Mire, a diminutive of Miles. The latter is taken from the Latin word miles, meaning “soldier” or “mercenary”. Consequently, the surname Myers originally denoted an individual who was a soldier or who possessed a military background.
A second, parallel tradition regards Myers as a patronymic form of the surname “Mayer”. In this context the suffix “‑s” functions as an abbreviation of “son of Mayer”. The occupational meaning derives from the Middle English and Old French terms mair, maire, themselves stemming from the Latin maior, “greater, superior”. In England the term was normally applied to the chief officer of a borough, whereas in Scotland and France it described various minor local officials. Thus the name could have been applied to a person of standing who had held the office of mayor, or perhaps as a nickname for a pretentious or officious individual.
Documentary evidence for the surname dates from the early thirteenth century. The earliest recorded spelling appears as Herewardus le Mire in the Berkshire Curia Rolls of 1212, during the reign of King John. Later records from the north of England illustrate the fluidity of spelling: Trynian Myars, who married Ellyin Wright at St Martin and St Gregory, York in 1605; his son Mathew, christened in 1610 at St John’s, Ousebridge, appears under the spellings Trenyon Myers, Trinian, Myars, Miares and Myeres. Additional examples include Alice Maiess, christened in London in 1598, and the marriage of Thomas Myers and Anne Parkinsonne at St Nicholas Cole Abbey in 1609.
In contemporary usage the surname persists in a variety of orthographies, including Myers, Meyers, Mayers and Miers. These variants reflect the historical processes of linguistic change and regional spelling preferences that have shaped the name over many centuries.
Typical given names associated with the Myers surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Beverley
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Joanne
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
- Maers
- Maerz
- Maier
- Maires
- Mairs
- Mare
- Mares
- Marres
- Marrs
- Mars
- Mawes
- Mayer
- Mayers
- Mayors
- Mayr
- Mayre
- Mayres
- Mayrs
- Mear
- Meare
- Meares
- Mearis
- Mears
- Mearse
- Mearus
- Meayers
- Meer
- Meere
- Meeres
- Meers
- Mehr
- Mehre
- Meiers
- Meir
- Meire
- Meires
- Meiris
- Meirs
- Mer
- Meras
- Mere
- Meres
- Meris
- Merr
- Merre
- Mers
- Merse
- Merz
- Meuris
- Meurs
- Meyers
- Meyors
- Meyre
- Miars
- Mier
- Mieras
- Mieres
- Miers
- Mire
- Mires
- Moares
- Moors
- More
- Mores
- Morez
- Mors
- Mours
- Mower
- Mowers
- Mure
- Mures
- Murs
- Myars
- Myears
- Myer
- Myre
- Myres
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Myers in...
Braille
⠍⠽⠑⠗⠎
Morse
---.--..-....
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Myers are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Hobnob.
There are approximately 17,944 people named Myers in the UK. That makes it the 491st most common surname in Britain. Around 276 in a million people in Britain are named Myers.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Myers
- Mike Myers - Canadian-American actor, comedian, singer, screenwriter, and film producer
- Dave Myers - Chef
- Billie Myers - Rock singer-songwriter
- Stanley Myers - Film composer (1930 to 1993)
- Andy Myers - Football player
- Ben Myers - Writer and journalist
- Norman Myers - Environmentalist (1934 to 2019)
- Charles Samuel Myers - Psychologist (1873 to 1946)
- John Myers - Radio executive, consultant and presenter (1959 to 2019)
- Marcus Anthony Myers-Harness - Football player
- Gary Myers - Actor
- Amy Myers - Woman mystery writer
- Frederic W. H. Myers - Poet and essayist (1843 to 1901)
- Leo Myers - Writer (1881 to 1944)
- Eveleen Myers - Photographer (1856 to 1937)
- Cliff Myers - Football player (1946 to 2019)
- Barry Myers - Film director (1937 to 1)
- Shawn Myers - Basketball player
- Chris Myers - Football player
- Matthew Myers - Ice hockey player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.