How common is the surname Iyer?

3,956 people in the United States had the surname Iyer in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 78,045 Americans. It ranked 8,369th of 162,253 surnames.

Who is the most famous person named Iyer?

Vijay Iyer, American composer, pianist, bandleader, producer, and writer.

Where is the surname Iyer most common?

Wikidata records people named Iyer in the United States.

Is the surname Iyer getting more or less common?

More common. 1,937 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 3,956 in 2010, up 104%.

The surname Iyer

A Tamil surname, carried by 3,956 people in the United States.

2 syllables Soundex I600

Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Iyer is more common than 94.8% of them.

Origin

Tamil origin

Borrowed from Tamil ஐயர் (aiyar), a caste of Hindu brahmins of Tamil origin.

One of 15 Tamil surnames on this site.

Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How common it is

2010 US Census

There were 3,956 people named Iyer in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 78,045 Americans. That is up 104% since 2000, when the Census counted 1,937.

#8,369

rank among US surnames

3,956

people in 2010

1.3

per 100,000 Americans

+104.2%

change since 2000 (was #14,212)

Rank	Surname	People	1 in
#8,364	Taliaferro	3,959	77,986
#8,365	Schade	3,958	78,005
#8,368	Popovich	3,957	78,025
#8,369	Bressler	3,956	78,045
#8,372	Ardoin	3,955	78,065
#8,373	Greenleaf	3,954	78,084

Who is named Iyer

Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

94% of people named Iyer identified as Asian and Pacific Islander, 2.7% as white (not Hispanic) and 2.4% as two or more races.

Asian and Pacific Islander 94%
White (not Hispanic) 2.7%
Two or more races 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.3%
Black (not Hispanic) 0.1%

Compare: most common surnames among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

Famous Iyers

1 notable person on Wikidata, most written-about first

Vijay Iyer
American composer, pianist, bandleader, producer, and writer, born 1971

Other Tamil surnames

All 15 Tamil surnames

Questions

Where does the surname Iyer come from?: Borrowed from Tamil ஐயர் (aiyar), a caste of Hindu brahmins of Tamil origin.
How common is the surname Iyer?: 3,956 people in the United States had the surname Iyer in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 78,045 Americans. It ranked 8,369th of 162,253 surnames.
What ethnicity is the surname Iyer?: In the 2010 Census, 94% of people named Iyer identified as Asian and Pacific Islander, and 2.7% as white (not Hispanic).
Who is the most famous person named Iyer?: Vijay Iyer, American composer, pianist, bandleader, producer, and writer.
Where is the surname Iyer most common?: Wikidata records people named Iyer in the United States.
Is the surname Iyer getting more or less common?: More common. 1,937 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 3,956 in 2010, up 104%.