2000
#9,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,239
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.20
Rare Last name
Fessler
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "vezzel," meaning a maker of barrels or casks.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,601 Americans carry the last name Fessler. That puts it at #9,831 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,183 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fessler 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
3.6K
1 in 95,183
Census rank
#9,831
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,140 bearers of the surname Fessler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9831st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fessler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fessler
The surname Fessler is of German origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 14th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "vezzel," which referred to a small bundle or package. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the transportation or packaging of goods.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Fessler name can be found in the town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a medieval town in Bavaria, Germany. In these records, a person named Hans Fessler is listed as a resident in the year 1387. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century.
Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the Fessler name appeared in various historical documents across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The spelling variations included Fesseler, Fessler, and Fessener, reflecting the differences in local dialects and scribal practices of the time.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Fessler name was Johann Michael Fessler (1638-1721), a prominent Bavarian painter known for his religious artworks. His works can be found in several churches and monasteries throughout southern Germany.
Another significant individual with this surname was Ignaz Aurel Fessler (1756-1839), a Hungarian-born historian, philosopher, and Catholic priest. He was a prolific writer and authored numerous works on history, philosophy, and theology, including a multi-volume history of Hungary.
During the 19th century, the Fessler name gained international recognition through the work of Ignaz Fessler (1827-1913), a German-American pioneer in the brewing industry. Born in Bavaria, he immigrated to the United States and established the Fessler Brewing Company in New York City, which became one of the largest breweries in the country at the time.
In the world of literature, the Austrian writer and journalist Karl Fessler (1875-1949) gained recognition for his works exploring social and political themes. He was an influential figure in the Austrian literary scene during the early 20th century.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Franz Fessler (1914-1991), a German-born American artist and sculptor. He is best known for his monumental public sculptures, which can be found in various cities across the United States, including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fessler
Among Census respondents with the surname Fessler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Fessler 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 Fessler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 2,947
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 79
- Two or more races2.0% · 64
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 24
- Black or African American0.6% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fessler
Fessler 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
#9,770
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,316
+77 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Down 513 places
2020
#9,831
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,140
-176 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Down 61 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,257 | 3,239 | 1.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,770 | 3,316 | 1.12 | +77 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 513 places |
| 2020 | #9,831 | 3,140 | 1.05 | -176 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 61 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 Fessler 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 | #9,770 | #9,831 | -0.6% |
| Count | 3,316 | 3,140 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 1.05 | -6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fessler bearers went from 3,316 to 3,140 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 61 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,770 to #9,831.
FAQ
Fessler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fessler?
Name Census estimates that about 3,601 living Americans carry the surname Fessler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,183 residents.
How common is Fessler?
Fessler ranks #9,831 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,140 people with the surname Fessler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,601), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Fessler.
Has Fessler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fessler went from 3,316 recorded bearers to 3,140. That is a decrease of 176 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,770 to #9,831.
What does the Census say about the background of Fessler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fessler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (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 Fessler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (2,947 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fessler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (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 Fessler (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 Fessler mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "vezzel," meaning a maker of barrels or casks. 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 Fessler (1.05 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 Americans have the surname Fessler?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.