2000
#7,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,195
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.56
Rare Last name
Messier
An occupational surname for a harvester or producer of fruit, derived from the Old French "maisier" meaning "harvester of fruit."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,405 Americans carry the last name Messier. That puts it at #8,263 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 77,810 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Messier 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
4.4K
1 in 77,810
Census rank
#8,263
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,841 bearers of the surname Messier in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8263rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Messier, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Messier
The surname Messier originated in France, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "messier," meaning a reaper or harvester. This occupational name was initially given to those who worked in agriculture, particularly during the harvest season.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Messier can be found in various historical documents from the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. These regions were known for their fertile lands and thriving agricultural communities, which could explain the prevalence of the surname in those areas.
One notable historical reference to the name Messier is found in the "Livre des métiers," a medieval manuscript from the 13th century that documented various professions and trades. This manuscript provides valuable insights into the occupational origins of surnames like Messier.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname Messier was Charles Messier, a French astronomer born in 1730 and known for his significant contributions to the study of comets and deep-sky objects. His catalog of nebulae and star clusters, known as the "Messier Catalog," remains an essential reference in modern astronomy.
Another individual of historical significance was Nicolas Messier, a French composer and musician born in 1618. He served as a court musician to King Louis XIV and composed numerous works for the French royal court.
During the 18th century, the Messier family played a notable role in the French Revolution. Jean-Baptiste Messier, born in 1756, was a prominent revolutionary and politician who served as a deputy in the National Convention during the turbulent years of the Revolution.
In the literary realm, François-Victor Messier, born in 1775, was a French writer and poet known for his works that explored themes of nature and rural life. His poetic descriptions of the French countryside and its agricultural traditions reflect the historical roots of the Messier surname.
Another notable figure was Marie-Thérèse Messier, born in 1848, who was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in France. She established several schools and fought for equal educational opportunities for girls and women.
Throughout its history, the surname Messier has been associated with various professions, from agriculture and astronomy to music, literature, and politics. While its origins can be traced back to the humble occupation of a harvester, the name has left an enduring mark across various fields and disciplines.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Messier
Among Census respondents with the surname Messier, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Messier 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 Messier surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 3,532
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 136
- Two or more races2.9% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 36
- Black or African American0.5% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Messier
Messier 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
#7,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,413
+218 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Down 215 places
2020
#8,263
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,841
-572 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 1.29
Rank movement Down 731 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,317 | 4,195 | 1.56 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,532 | 4,413 | 1.50 | +218 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 215 places |
| 2020 | #8,263 | 3,841 | 1.29 | -572 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 731 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 Messier 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 | #7,532 | #8,263 | -9.7% |
| Count | 4,413 | 3,841 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.50 | 1.29 | -14.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Messier bearers went from 4,413 to 3,841 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 731 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,532 to #8,263.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Messier
FAQ
Messier surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Messier?
Name Census estimates that about 4,405 living Americans carry the surname Messier. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 77,810 residents.
How common is Messier?
Messier ranks #8,263 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.29 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,841 people with the surname Messier. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,405), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.29 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Messier.
Has Messier become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Messier went from 4,413 recorded bearers to 3,841. That is a decrease of 572 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,532 to #8,263.
What does the Census say about the background of Messier?
Among Census respondents with the surname Messier, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Messier in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (3,532 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Messier appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Messier (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 Messier mean?
An occupational surname for a harvester or producer of fruit, derived from the Old French "maisier" meaning "harvester of fruit." 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 Messier (1.29 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 share the surname Messier?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.