Find out how popular the last name Gessler is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gessler.
German and Jewish surname derived from places with beech trees.
Gessler, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gessler surname is from the 2010 census data.
Gessler is the 28333rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Gessler surname appeared 843 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gessler.
We can also compare 2010 data for Gessler to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 28333 | 25754 | 9.54% |
| Count | 843 | 898 | -6.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.29 | 0.33 | -12.90% |
The surname Gessler originated in Germany and Switzerland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "gissiler," meaning "hostage" or "pledge." This name was initially given to someone who acted as a hostage or pledge in a legal dispute or transaction.
The earliest known record of the Gessler name dates back to the 13th century in Switzerland. One notable historical reference is the epic poem "William Tell" by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1804. In this work, the villain Gessler is a tyrannical Austrian governor who oppresses the Swiss people. While this character is fictional, it illustrates the surname's association with authority and power during that era.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Hans Gessler (1290-1355) was a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. He played a significant role in the city's politics and governance during his lifetime.
Another influential individual with this surname was Johann Gessler (1565-1616), a German theologian and Protestant reformer. He was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and played a role in the religious conflicts of the time.
During the 16th century, the Gessler family was known for their involvement in the mining industry in various regions of Germany. One notable member was Konrad Gessler (1516-1588), a successful mine owner and operator in the Harz Mountains.
In the 18th century, a German historian and author named Johann Jakob Gessler (1735-1804) gained recognition for his writings on the history of Switzerland and its political struggles against foreign powers.
The Gessler name is also associated with several place names in Germany and Switzerland, such as Gesslern in Bavaria and Gesslerholz in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the Gessler surname.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gessler.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gessler was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 93.36% | 787 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 1.54% | 13 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.30% | 11 |
| Hispanic Origin | 2.49% | 21 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gessler has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.36% | 96.10% | -2.89% |
| Black | (S)% | 1.00% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.54% | 0.89% | 53.50% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 1.30% | 0.78% | 50.00% |
| Hispanic | 2.49% | 1.22% | 68.46% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Gessler was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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