2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vexler
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to the Latin word vexillum meaning "flag" or "banner".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Vexler. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vexler 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Vexler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vexler, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.6%) and Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vexler
The surname Vexler is of Eastern European Jewish origin, likely originating in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is believed to have roots in the Yiddish language, derived from the German word "wechsler," meaning "money changer" or "banker." This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as money changers or bankers in their local communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vexler surname can be found in the town of Berdichev, located in modern-day Ukraine. In the late 18th century, a prominent Jewish family in Berdichev was known by the name Vexler, and they played a significant role in the local economy and community affairs.
During the 19th century, as Jews faced increasing persecution and discrimination in Eastern Europe, many families with the Vexler surname began to emigrate to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. This diaspora helped to spread the name to new regions and communities.
Notable individuals who bore the Vexler surname include:
1. Itzik Vexler (1895-1972), a Yiddish writer and journalist born in Odessa, Russian Empire (now Ukraine). He published several works of fiction and non-fiction, and was an influential figure in the Yiddish literary world.
2. Sarah Vexler (1868-1944), a prominent philanthropist and community leader in New York City. She was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and institutions that supported Jewish immigrants and the less fortunate.
3. Chaim Vexler (1842-1912), a renowned Rabbi and scholar from Vilna, Lithuania (now Vilnius, Lithuania). He authored several works on Jewish law and philosophy, and was highly respected in the Jewish community of his time.
4. Mendel Vexler (1903-1981), a successful businessman and philanthropist in Montreal, Canada. He founded a successful manufacturing company and was known for his generous support of various cultural and educational institutions in the city.
5. Leah Vexler (1879-1963), an activist and advocate for women's rights in Warsaw, Poland. She was involved in numerous organizations that sought to improve the lives and opportunities for women in the early 20th century.
While the Vexler surname may have originated from a specific occupation, it has since become a recognized and respected name within various Jewish communities worldwide, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried it through the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vexler
Among Census respondents with the surname Vexler, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.6%) and Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vexler 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 Vexler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.9% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino15.6% · 17
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vexler
Vexler appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,097 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 8,097 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 Vexler 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 | #142,108 | #150,205 | -5.7% |
| Count | 117 | 109 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vexler bearers went from 117 to 109 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 8,097 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #150,205.
FAQ
Vexler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vexler?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Vexler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Vexler?
Vexler ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 109 people with the surname Vexler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Vexler.
Has Vexler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vexler went from 117 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Vexler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vexler, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (15.6%) and Black (2.8%). 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 Vexler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.9% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vexler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.9%), Hispanic (15.6%), Black (2.8%). 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 Vexler (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 Vexler mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to the Latin word vexillum meaning "flag" or "banner". 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 Vexler (0.04 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 have the surname Vexler?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.