# 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
* 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