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

Isler, 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 Isler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isler in America

Isler is the 13368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isler surname appeared 2,280 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 Isler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isler 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 Isler

The surname Isler is of Swiss-German origin, derived from the German word "Eisenlager," which means "iron storage" or "iron merchant." It is believed to have originated in the late 13th or early 14th century in the regions of Switzerland and southern Germany.

In medieval times, surnames often referred to a person's occupation or trade. The surname Isler likely emerged as a designation for those involved in the iron trade, either as merchants, blacksmiths, or ironworkers. It may have been adopted by individuals who worked in the storage or distribution of iron goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Isler can be found in the archives of the city of Zurich, Switzerland, dating back to the late 14th century. The name appeared in various spellings, including Isenler, Isennler, and Isenläger, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.

In the 16th century, the Isler family was well-established in the Swiss cantons of Zurich and Bern. Notable individuals from this period include Hans Isler (1506-1577), a Protestant reformer and theologian from Bern, and Ulrich Isler (1523-1594), a prominent goldsmith and engraver from Zurich.

As the Isler family spread across Europe, they left their mark in various fields. In the 17th century, Johann Isler (1615-1684) was a renowned German composer and organist from Nuremberg. In the 18th century, Johann Rudolf Isler (1714-1786) was a Swiss painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

During the 19th century, the Isler name gained prominence in the literary world. Ernst Isler (1838-1903) was a Swiss poet and novelist, while his compatriot Jakob Isler (1856-1937) was a renowned writer and journalist. Across the Atlantic, Johann Isler (1822-1893) was a Swiss-American farmer and pioneer who settled in Wisconsin.

As the centuries passed, the Isler surname continued to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions. Some notable examples include the Swiss chemist and Nobel laureate Paul Isler (1886-1978), the German-American architect and urban planner Walter Isler (1899-1966), and the Swiss cyclist and Olympic medalist Hugo Isler (1921-2011).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isler

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

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

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

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