Thayer (name)

Thayer is an English surname found in Somerset, the name derived from English tawyer, one who dressed skins.

Notable people with the name include:

Family

 * Thayer family, a Boston Brahmin family and prominent American political family.

Surname

 * Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American artist
 * Adin Thayer (1816–1890), New York politician
 * Alexander Wheelock Thayer (1817–1897), author of The life of Ludwig van Beethoven, a standard biography, and other music biographies
 * Albert R. Thayer (1878–1965), painter and etcher
 * America Thayer (died 2021), American murder victim
 * Amos Madden Thayer (1841–1905), United States federal judge
 * Andrew J. Thayer (1818–1873), attorney and legislator
 * Betty Thayer (born 1958), businesswoman
 * Bronson Thayer (1939–2016), executive
 * Brynn Thayer (born 1949), American actress
 * Caroline Matilda Warren Thayer, American educator, novelist and children's writer
 * Charles W. Thayer (1910–1969), US military officer, diplomat and author (fiction and non fiction)
 * Dale Thayer (born 1980), baseball pitcher
 * David Thayer (born 1949), birth name of Teddy Harvia, cartoonist
 * Deborah Jinza Thayer, choreographer
 * Donnette Thayer, vocalist and guitarist
 * Douglas Thayer (1929–2017), American writer
 * Edwin Pope Thayer, Secretary of the United States Senate 1925–1933
 * Eli Thayer (1819–1899), Kansas politician
 * Ella Cheever Thayer (1849–1925), playwright and novelist
 * Emma Homan Thayer (1842–1908), American botanical artist and author
 * Ernest Thayer (1863–1940), American poet, author of "Casey at the Bat"
 * Francis S. Thayer (1822–1880), New York politician
 * George Thayer (1905–1952), American football player
 * Greg Thayer (born 1949), baseball pitcher
 * Harry Thayer (disambiguation), several people
 * Helen Thayer, explorer
 * Helen Rand Thayer (1863-1935), American social reformer
 * Henry W. Thayer (1867-1940), co-founder of the Decorative Designers
 * James Thayer (author) (born 1949), thriller writer
 * James Thayer (Medal of Honor) (1853–86), United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
 * James Bradley Thayer (1831–1902), American legal writer and educationist
 * James B. Thayer (1922–2018), United States military officer and businessman
 * Jeritt Thayer (born 1986), American soccer player
 * Jesse B. Thayer (1845–1910), educator
 * John Thayer (disambiguation), several people
 * Joseph Henry Thayer (1828–1901), American biblical scholar
 * Lizzie E. D. Thayer (1857–1923), first female train dispatcher in the US
 * Lorna Thayer (1919–2005), American actress
 * Maria Thayer (born 1975), American actress/comedian
 * Marian Thayer, Titanic survivor
 * Martin Russell Thayer (1819–1906), politician
 * Max Thayer (born 1946), American movie actor
 * Nate Thayer (1960-2023), American journalist who interviewed Pol Pot
 * Nathaniel Thayer (1769–1840), minister
 * Nathaniel Thayer, Jr. (1808–1883), railroad developer
 * Orla Ed Thayer, inventor of the Thayer Valve for trombones
 * Otis B. Thayer (1862–1935), American actor, director and film producer
 * Pauline Revere Thayer (1860–1934), benefactor
 * Robert H. Thayer (1901–1984), American lawyer, naval officer and diplomat.
 * Samuel J. F. Thayer (1842–1893), American architect
 * Samuel J. Thayer (born 1976), American wild food forager and author
 * Samuel R. Thayer (1837–1909), attorney and diplomat
 * Scofield Thayer (1889–1982), American poet and publisher
 * Sigourney Thayer (1896–1944), theatrical producer
 * Simeon Thayer (1737–1800), American officer of the American Revolutionary War
 * Stella F. Thayer (born 1940), president of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
 * Steve Thayer (born 1953), novelist
 * Stuart Thayer (1926–2009), American circus historian
 * Susan Thayer, American artist
 * Sylvanus Thayer (1785–1872), United States general
 * Thomas Thayer (1812–1886), theologian
 * Tiffany Thayer (1902–1959), founder of the Fortean Society
 * Tom Thayer (born 1961), NFL player
 * Tommy Thayer (born 1960), lead guitarist of KISS
 * W. Paul Thayer (William Paul Thayer, 1919–2010), test pilot
 * W. W. Thayer (William Wallace Thayer, 1827–1899), sixth Governor of Oregon
 * Wallace Thayer (1866–1944), New York assemblyman
 * Webster Thayer (1857–1933), the judge at the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti
 * Whitney Eugene Thayer (1838–1889), American organist and composer
 * William Thayer (disambiguation), several people
 * William Thayer Rich V (1990-present)

Given name

 * Thayer David (1927–1978), film and TV actor
 * Thayer Munford (born 1999), American football player