2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gastler
A Germanic surname possibly derived from the personal name Gast or Guest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 150 Americans carry the last name Gastler. That puts it at #133,930 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,285,029 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gastler 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
150
1 in 2,285,029
Census rank
#133,930
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
131
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 131 bearers of the surname Gastler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 133930th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gastler, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gastler
The surname Gastler originates from Germany and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "gast", meaning "guest" or "stranger". The suffix "-ler" was a common ending added to occupational surnames, suggesting that Gastler may have referred to an innkeeper or someone who provided lodging for travelers.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Gastler can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various forms, such as Gasteler, Gastelere, and Gastler, indicating its evolving spelling over time.
In the 15th century, there are records of a Konrad Gastler, a respected merchant from the city of Nuremberg. He played a significant role in the development of trade routes and economic prosperity in the region.
The surname Gastler also appears in the Wachenbuch, a historical document from the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which dates back to the 16th century. The name was associated with a family of influential artisans and craftsmen in the city.
In the 17th century, Johann Gastler (1592-1674) was a prominent theologian and author from the town of Tübingen. He wrote several scholarly works on religious subjects and was highly regarded in academic circles.
Another notable individual with the surname Gastler was Friedrich Gastler (1805-1879), a German composer and music teacher. He composed numerous choral works and was a respected figure in the musical community of his time.
As the name Gastler spread across Germany and neighboring countries, it also evolved into various regional spellings and variations, such as Gästler, Gästlere, and Gästeler. These variations reflect the influence of local dialects and linguistic traditions.
Throughout history, the surname Gastler has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, artisans, academics, and artists. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity of the German-speaking regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gastler
Among Census respondents with the surname Gastler, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gastler 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 Gastler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.2% · 130
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gastler
Gastler 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,714 places
2020
#133,930
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
+12 bearers (+10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,227 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 9,714 places |
| 2020 | #133,930 | 131 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.1%) | Up 6,227 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 Gastler 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 | #140,157 | #133,930 | 4.4% |
| Count | 119 | 131 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gastler bearers went from 119 to 131 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 6,227 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #133,930.
FAQ
Gastler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gastler?
Name Census estimates that about 150 living Americans carry the surname Gastler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,285,029 residents.
How common is Gastler?
Gastler ranks #133,930 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 131 people with the surname Gastler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (150), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gastler.
Has Gastler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gastler went from 119 recorded bearers to 131. That is an increase of 12 (+10.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #140,157 to #133,930.
What does the Census say about the background of Gastler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gastler, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Gastler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.2% (130 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gastler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Gastler (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 Gastler mean?
A Germanic surname possibly derived from the personal name Gast or Guest. 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 Gastler (0.04 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 Gastler?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.