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

Hesser, 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 Hesser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hesser in America

Hesser is the 16265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hesser surname appeared 1,773 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 Hesser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hesser 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 Hesser

The surname HESSER is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "hesse," meaning "a person from Hesse," which is a region in central Germany. The name likely emerged in the medieval period, as surnames started to become more widespread in Germany during that time.

The earliest recorded instances of the HESSER surname can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various German regions, particularly in the areas around Hesse. One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Johannes Hesser, a merchant who lived in the city of Frankfurt in the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the HESSER name appeared in several historical records, including the Wormser Münsterbaubuch, a document related to the construction of the Worms Cathedral in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This suggests that individuals with this surname may have been involved in the building or maintenance of the cathedral.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the HESSER surname spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring countries, as people migrated and settled in new areas. One notable figure from this period was Johann Hesser, a Protestant theologian and professor at the University of Jena, who lived from 1568 to 1636.

In the 18th century, the HESSER name gained prominence in the arts and literature. Johann Philipp Hesser (1737-1810) was a German poet and writer, known for his pastoral poems and idylls. Another notable figure was Johann Baptist Hesser (1778-1844), a German painter and engraver who specialized in landscapes and religious subjects.

As the HESSER surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to other countries through immigration. In the 19th century, Peter Hesser (1810-1888) was a Swiss-born American artist and portraitist who settled in the United States and gained recognition for his portraits of notable figures, including several US presidents.

Throughout history, the HESSER surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from merchants and craftsmen to scholars, artists, and theologians. While the name may have evolved and taken on different spellings in different regions, its roots can be traced back to the Hesse region of Germany, where it originated as a locational surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hesser

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

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

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

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