2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ferstler
A surname originating from an old German term for a forestry overseer or woodsman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Ferstler. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ferstler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Ferstler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferstler, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ferstler
The surname "FERSTLER" has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, particularly in the areas that are now modern-day Germany and Austria. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
One possible derivation of the name "FERSTLER" comes from an old Germanic word meaning "forester" or "woodsman." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked in forestry or woodland management. Another theory proposes that the name is derived from a place name, potentially a small village or hamlet where the earliest bearers of the surname resided.
Historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries reveal instances of the name "FERSTLER" appearing in various church registers and tax rolls across German-speaking regions. For example, an entry from 1578 in the parish records of a small town near Nuremberg mentions a certain Hans Ferstler, who may have been a local landowner or tradesman.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "FERSTLER" can be traced back to the early 16th century, when a certain Johann Ferstler was born in a small village near the city of Augsburg in 1512. Johann was a respected artisan and craftsman, known for his intricate woodcarvings and furniture-making skills.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Friedrich Ferstler (1725-1804) gained recognition as a accomplished scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg.
During the 19th century, a German-born artist named Wilhelm Ferstler (1835-1912) achieved acclaim for his landscape paintings, which depicted scenic views of the German countryside and the Alps. His works are now part of several prestigious art collections across Europe.
Another notable individual with the surname "FERSTLER" was Emilie Ferstler (1860-1938), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in her hometown of Munich and worked tirelessly to promote equal educational opportunities for women in Germany.
In the early 20th century, a German-American engineer named Karl Ferstler (1878-1954) made significant contributions to the field of automotive design. He worked for several major car manufacturers, including Daimler and Maybach, and held numerous patents for innovative engine and suspension systems.
While the surname "FERSTLER" may not be among the most common or widely recognized names today, its rich history and origins can be traced back to the medieval era in Central Europe, where it likely originated as an occupational or locational surname reflecting the lives and trades of its earliest bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ferstler
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferstler, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ferstler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ferstler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino13.7% · 14
- Black or African American2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ferstler
Ferstler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+7 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,445 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-18 bearers (-15.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 15,527 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 2,445 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -18 bearers (-15.0%) | Down 15,527 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ferstler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #154,755 | -11.2% |
| Count | 120 | 102 | -15.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ferstler bearers went from 120 to 102 (-15.0% change). The surname moved down 15,527 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #154,755.
FAQ
Ferstler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ferstler?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Ferstler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Ferstler?
Ferstler ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Ferstler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ferstler.
Has Ferstler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ferstler went from 120 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 18 (-15.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Ferstler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferstler, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (2.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ferstler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ferstler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Hispanic (13.7%), Black (2.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ferstler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ferstler mean?
A surname originating from an old German term for a forestry overseer or woodsman. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ferstler (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Ferstler?
You can see how many people have the surname Ferstler on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.