Gessner
Derived from the Middle High German word "gessenaere," referring to a craftsman who cast metal, such as brass or bronze.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,222 Americans carry the last name Gessner. That puts it at #11,374 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 106,379 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gessner surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
3.2K
1 in 106,379
Census rank
#11,374
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,773 bearers of the surname Gessner in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11374th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gessner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gessner
The surname Gessner originated in Germany and Switzerland, deriving from the Middle High German word "gersener" or "gerser," meaning a grower of vegetables or a gardener. This name was originally an occupational surname given to those who cultivated gardens or grew produce.
The earliest recorded instances of the Gessner surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany and Switzerland. One of the earliest mentions was in a document from the city of Zurich, Switzerland, dated 1275, which referred to a "Cunradus Gersener."
In Germany, the name was sometimes spelled as "Gärtner" or "Gertner," which also means gardener. Some variations of the spelling included "Gessener," "Gesner," and "Gessner." These different spellings were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier centuries.
One notable historical figure bearing the Gessner surname was Conrad Gessner (1516-1565), a Swiss naturalist, bibliographer, and philologist. He is considered a pioneer in the field of modern zoology and is known for his extensive works on animal taxonomy and classification.
Another prominent individual was Johann Gessner (1709-1790), a Swiss painter and engraver from Zurich. His etchings and engravings depicted landscapes and scenes from rural life, and he is regarded as one of the most important artists of the 18th century in Switzerland.
In England, the Gessner surname can be traced back to the 16th century, likely introduced by German or Swiss immigrants. One early recorded instance was a William Gessner, who was mentioned in parish records from Oxfordshire in 1589.
The Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the Gessner surname. However, it does mention individuals with the occupation of "gardener" or "hortulanus," which could have been precursors to the surname in later centuries.
Other notable individuals with the Gessner surname include Johann Jakob Gessner (1707-1787), a Swiss painter and poet; Salomon Gessner (1730-1788), a Swiss idyllic poet and painter; and Johann Gessner (1826-1899), a German-American landscape painter and lithographer active in the United States.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gessner
Among Census respondents with the surname Gessner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Gessner bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Gessner surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races1.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- Black or African American0.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Gessner surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,374 | #11,374 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,773 | 2,773 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.94 | 0.94 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Gessner bearers went from 2,773 to 2,773 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #11,374 to #11,374.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gessner
FAQ
Gessner surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Gessner?
The surname Gessner holds position #11,374 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,222 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.94 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Gessner surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gessner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.