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

Theiler, 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 Theiler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Theiler in America

Theiler is the 36337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Theiler surname appeared 616 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Theiler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Theiler 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 Theiler

The surname Theiler originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in Switzerland and southern Germany. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. Theiler is derived from the Old High German word "tiliaro," which means "tiler" or "maker of roof tiles." This suggests that the name was initially an occupational surname, referring to individuals who made or installed roof tiles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theiler can be found in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, where a family with this surname is mentioned in historical documents dating back to the 15th century. The name also appears in various medieval records and manuscripts from the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in southern Germany.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Theiler was Hans Theiler (1508-1565), a Swiss Anabaptist leader and reformer from Graubünden. He played a significant role in the spread of Anabaptist teachings in Switzerland during the Reformation.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johann Theiler (1648-1724), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher from Saxony. He was known for his contributions to the field of metaphysics and his works on the nature of the soul.

The name Theiler has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of place names in the German-speaking regions. For example, the town of Tholey in Saarland, Germany, was formerly known as "Theodoleica" or "Theoloia," which may have a connection to the surname Theiler.

In the 19th century, Arnold Theiler (1867-1936) was a renowned Swiss veterinarian and researcher who made significant contributions to the study of animal diseases, particularly in South Africa, where he spent a significant part of his career.

Another notable figure was Max Theiler (1899-1972), a South African-born American virologist and physician who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1951 for his work on developing a vaccine against yellow fever.

While the surname Theiler has its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, detailed records and historical accounts of the name's usage and significance in other regions may not be as extensively documented as in its place of origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Theiler

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

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

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

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