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

Walser, 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 Walser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Walser in America

Walser is the 11341st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Walser surname appeared 2,782 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Walser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Walser 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 Walser

The surname Walser has its origins in Germany and Switzerland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Walch," which referred to someone of Romansh or Italian descent living in the Alpine regions. The name may also have connections to the Walser German dialect spoken in parts of Switzerland and Austria.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Walser can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 8th to the 13th century. In these records, the name appears as "Walcher" or "Walcherus," indicating its Germanic roots.

The Walser name gained prominence in the 13th century when a group of German-speaking settlers from the Valais region of Switzerland migrated to various Alpine valleys. These settlers, known as the Walser, established their own communities and brought their distinct culture and dialect with them. Their influence can be seen in the naming of several villages and regions, such as the Walser Valley in Italy.

One notable figure bearing the Walser name was Caspar Walser (1456-1536), a Swiss humanist and scholar who served as the rector of the University of Basel. Another prominent individual was Johann Walser (1567-1639), a German composer and organist known for his contributions to sacred music during the Renaissance era.

In the 19th century, the Walser name gained literary significance with the work of Robert Walser (1878-1956), a Swiss writer and novelist widely regarded as one of the most influential authors of German modernism. His unique style and experimental prose earned him acclaim among literary circles.

Another notable figure was Therese Walser (1910-1991), a German resistance fighter who actively opposed the Nazi regime during World War II. Her courageous actions in distributing anti-Nazi literature and assisting persecuted individuals earned her recognition as a symbol of resistance against oppression.

While the Walser surname has its roots in the Alpine regions of Central Europe, its bearers have since spread across the globe, contributing to various fields and leaving their mark on history through their accomplishments and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Walser

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

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

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

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