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

Visser, 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 Visser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Visser in America

Visser is the 6490th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Visser surname appeared 5,231 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Visser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Visser 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 Visser

The surname Visser is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch word "visser," meaning "fisherman." It dates back to the Middle Ages in the Netherlands, particularly in coastal regions where fishing was a major industry and way of life.

The earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in Dutch municipal records from the 14th century, such as the Utrecht archdiocese records and the Leiden municipal archives. These early records often spelled the name as "Vischer" or "Visscher," reflecting the Dutch spelling at the time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Jan Vischer, a renowned Dutch painter and engraver born in 1585 in Amsterdam. His works, including etchings and engravings, are highly regarded in the art world and can be found in various museums and collections.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Visser surname was particularly prevalent in the coastal towns of Holland, such as Scheveningen and Katwijk aan Zee. These fishing communities likely gave rise to many families adopting the occupational surname.

Another notable individual with the surname was Nicolaes Visscher, a Dutch cartographer and engraver born in 1618 in Amsterdam. He produced numerous maps and atlases, including his famous "Visscher's Atlas," which was highly influential in its time.

During the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, the Visser surname gained prominence in the Dutch Republic. One example is Cornelis de Visscher, a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1629 in Haarlem, known for his genre scenes and portraits.

In the literary world, the Dutch poet and playwright Cornelis Visscher, born in 1628 in Amsterdam, was a prominent figure in the 17th century, known for his satirical works and contributions to Dutch literature.

As the Dutch expanded their maritime and colonial pursuits, the Visser surname spread to other parts of the world, including South Africa, Indonesia, and the Caribbean islands, where Dutch settlers established communities.

Overall, the surname Visser has a rich history rooted in the Netherlands, particularly in coastal regions where fishing was a way of life. It has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, from art and cartography to literature and exploration, reflecting the diverse contributions of those bearing this surname throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Visser

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

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

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

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