2000
#46,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 435
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.16
Very Rare Last name
Mackler
A variant spelling of the surname derived from the Scottish occupation of a corn miller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 548 Americans carry the last name Mackler. That puts it at #47,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 625,464 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mackler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
548
1 in 625,464
Census rank
#47,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
478
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 478 bearers of the surname Mackler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 47785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mackler
The surname Mackler is of German origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Lower Saxony region of northern Germany, where it was likely derived from an occupational name or a place name.
One theory suggests that Mackler may have evolved from the Old Germanic word "makhel," which referred to a merchant or trader. Another possibility is that it stemmed from a place name, such as a town or village with a similar spelling, although no definitive records exist to confirm this.
Some of the earliest known references to the Mackler surname can be found in medieval German records and documents from the 14th and 15th centuries. One notable example is Hans Mackler, a German merchant born in 1412 in the town of Lübeck, who was involved in the thriving Hanseatic League trade network.
As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Mäckler, Maeckler, and Meckler. In the 16th century, Johannes Mackler (1523-1591), a German theologian and writer, gained recognition for his works on religious philosophy and ethics.
The Mackler surname also found its way to other parts of the continent, such as the Netherlands and France. In the 17th century, Pierre Mackler (1647-1712), a French painter and engraver, made significant contributions to the art world during the Baroque period.
Another notable figure was Johann Mackler (1765-1832), a German composer and violinist who lived during the Classical era. His works, though not widely known today, were praised for their technical virtuosity and melodic beauty.
As families migrated and settled in different regions, the Mackler surname continued to evolve and diversify. While it remains relatively uncommon compared to other German surnames, it has left its mark on various aspects of history, from commerce and religion to art and music.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mackler
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mackler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Mackler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 444
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 13
- Two or more races2.7% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 5
- Black or African American0.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mackler
Mackler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#48,901
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 431
-4 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Down 2,748 places
2020
#47,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 478
+47 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 1,116 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #46,153 | 435 | 0.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #48,901 | 431 | 0.15 | -4 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,748 places |
| 2020 | #47,785 | 478 | 0.16 | +47 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 1,116 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mackler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48,901 | #47,785 | 2.3% |
| Count | 431 | 478 | 10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.16 | 6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mackler bearers went from 431 to 478 (+10.9% change). The surname moved up 1,116 positions in the national ranking, going from #48,901 to #47,785.
FAQ
Mackler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mackler?
Name Census estimates that about 548 living Americans carry the surname Mackler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 625,464 residents.
How common is Mackler?
Mackler ranks #47,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 478 people with the surname Mackler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (548), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mackler.
Has Mackler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mackler went from 431 recorded bearers to 478. That is an increase of 47 (+10.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #48,901 to #47,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Mackler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mackler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (444 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mackler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mackler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mackler mean?
A variant spelling of the surname derived from the Scottish occupation of a corn miller. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mackler (0.16 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Mackler?
Want to know how many people are called Mackler? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.