Find out how popular the last name Glessner is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Glessner.

Glessner, 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 Glessner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Glessner in America

Glessner is the 14478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Glessner surname appeared 2,062 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Glessner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Glessner 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.

The history of the last name Glessner

The surname Glessner is of German origin, originating in the southern regions of Germany during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "glas," meaning glass, combined with the occupational suffix "ner," indicating a person who worked with glass or was associated with the glass-making trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Glessner can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, dating back to the early 16th century. These records mention a certain Johannes Glessner, born in 1512, who was a skilled glassblower and a respected member of the local guild of glassmakers.

The Glessner name also appears in several historical documents from the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Glessner (1624-1697), a renowned glass artist who created intricate stained glass windows for churches and noble residences across southern Germany.

As the Glessner family spread across Europe, some variations in spelling emerged, such as Glässner, Glaesner, and Glassner. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preference of individual scribes or record-keepers.

In the 19th century, the Glessner name gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the state of Illinois. One of the most renowned figures was John Jacob Glessner (1859-1936), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Chicago. He co-founded the International Harvester Company and was a patron of the arts, commissioning the construction of the renowned Glessner House, a landmark of Prairie School architecture designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.

Another notable individual was Thomas Glessner (1787-1857), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and became a successful farmer and landowner. His descendants played an important role in the development of the region, with several towns and townships bearing the Glessner name.

Other prominent individuals with the Glessner surname include Wilhelm Glessner (1832-1912), a German-American artist known for his landscape paintings, and Sophie Glessner (1872-1949), a pioneer in the field of forensic science and the founder of the Harvard Seminar in Homicide Investigation.

While the Glessner name originated in Germany and was initially associated with the glass-making trade, it has since spread across the globe, with families bearing this surname making significant contributions in various fields, from business and art to agriculture and law enforcement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Glessner

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Glessner.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Glessner was:

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 Glessner has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Glessner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Glessner, please contact us.

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